The COST of WAITING

I mentioned before that our kids have begun sharing some of what happened to them in Ethiopia.  To say that I'm horrified is a huge understatement.  It's their story to tell, but without a doubt, it needs to be shared at some point because they represent millions that are still destitute---- and even the word destitute doesn't do their past justice.  Everything that we were led to pray for them during our wait had a specific purpose in the physical sense.  For example, when we were praying for chains to be broken, I never once envisioned that those were literal chains-- I was wrong.

When we received sad pictures of them and I was worried--- there were many well meaning remarks from friends saying, "That is just their normal.  They don't know any different."  

They were saying this to comfort me, 

but I knew that wasn't true then and for sure know it now. 

Suffering, hurting, starving, abused children KNOW that they are suffering, hurting, starving and abused with no one looking out for them or defending them.  Everyone they are supposed to be able to trust turns on them at any given moment and they live in a state of terror.

God is clear about that in His Word.  Over and over He speaks about the oppressed crying out because of their oppressors.

When they first began speaking about their life they would say, 

"Scared Mama, everything scary!  Always scared!"

I know many of you must have seen the 700  Club segment with Pat Robertson slamming the adoption of any child who comes from extreme circumstances because, "You never know what they've been through, I mean they could be brain damaged."  They have since removed his comments from the video, but you can read about it HERE.

Terry Meeuwsen (I always loved her) defends the Biblical call to care for the orphans beautifully.  As the mother of 7, 5 adopted and 2 bio--- same as me--- she is my new hero!

Pat exhorts listeners to "count the cost."

Exactly.

When Jesus tells us to count the cost in Luke 14, He begins with telling us that "anyone who does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be my disciple.  

And sums it up with:

In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.  Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?  It is neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.

  Now, please tell me if I'm understanding this wrong, but I'm going to take Jesus at His Word and believe that He means what He says. 

Carrying our cross will bring trials as a result of commitment to Him.  We have to love the cross if we say we love Jesus.  We can't separate the two and be deceived that we are in His will.  His will is for us to be sanctified by the truth-- His Word.  John 17:17

And I am sanctification work in progress.  This is supposed to be hard.  I get that.  I'm OK with that.  I just want to be sure that I'm doing it right----that I'm not going to mess them up any more.  I could not agree more with the mom on the video who says, 

"I’m the lucky one.  I get to be their mom.  And I get to be daily rescued from my selfishness, and my impatience, and things that are just as disease-ridden in my soul.”

So, instead of counting the personal cost of obedience to what God has already commanded us to do---

why not count the cost of disobedience.

The cost of waiting to obey.

Now that scares me.


For motivation-- PLEASE watch this-----and read RADICAL by David Platt

RADICAL from David Platt on Vimeo.