When is the last time you considered how "lucky" you were? Of course, if you believe in a sovereign God--and I do--then there is no such thing as luck. So, let me rephrase the question, when is the last time you considered how blessed you were?
Odds are, if you're reading this, you were born in America to at least a middle class home. You may not have been born into opulence, but you've probably lived a comfortable life never lacking food, clothing, or shelter. If you're reading this, you have access to the Internet, potentially across several devices.
It is unlikely that you would immediately consider yourself wealthy, but a certainty that you are (consider www.globalrichlist.com).
Do you ever feel guilty about how "blessed" you are? What is it in you that deserves such a blessing?
But really, are you even blessed?
Consider what Jesus says blessing is--Blessed are the poor in spirit...they that mourn...the meek...they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness...the merciful...the pure in heart...the peacemakers...they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake...Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Are you blessed? Is this what you think of when you think of blessing?
Lately, there has been a restlessness in our souls--a discomfort with our comfort. We have been, as we always should be, seeking God's Will. Personally, I don't believe that God's Will is an elusive mystery that we must constantly search for in hopes of receiving some sort of sign or special revelation. I believe that God's Will is entirely associated with His moral will, which is revealed completely in His Word; but at the same time, I believe that God does give us desires according to His greater plan when we seek Him. Namely, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." I don't understand this verse as pointing to some form of prosperity gospel. Rather, I understand that as we seek God, as we delight in Him, He puts desires in our hearts.
Well, God has planted in our hearts the desire to adopt.
This is not something that has happened suddenly, it has been something we have wrestled with for quite some time. We have examined our lives and felt like we had things pretty good, as far as the world's standards are concerned. What has brought us to this reality has been perfect peace in seeking what God wants for us. To that end, we believe that before the foundation of the world, before all time began, God has set aside a soul (or souls, we're open to sibling groups) that will be born to other biological parents and subsequently orphaned only to be adopted into our family. We will rejoice to call this child our own, as no different from our biological children. Just as God has lavished His love on us, so we want to lavish His love through us on this child.
This is an exciting adventure. There will be struggles. There will be challenges. There will be questions (on our part and from others). But it would be wrong for us to quench this God-implanted desire in favor of our comfort. We covet prayers and appreciate all of the positive words of encouragement. We invite you to be a part of journey as we continue to share His story through our story in the coming months and years.
