While I Wait

After spending an evening trying to remain prayerful regarding my own adoption, I have awoken to so much sad news. Most disheartening is the news that Russia has closed its doors to adoption for now. The hope is that it is only temporarily suspended.

I am grieved for all of those families that are so close. I can't imagine being possibly hours or even minutes from finishing my adoption and having the program shut down around me. I don't want to even think about it.

How cruel. And how terrible for the children and for the adoptive parents. And it grieves me because I believe adoption is a good thing.

It makes me pause.

Adoption is a good thing. God gives good things to His children. But today these adoptions have been stopped. Where does God come in now? Why didn't God stop this from happening? Can't God control things and make it so all these children in desperate need will find a forever family? Why allow a small act affect the good of so many?

Today I am not really asking those questions. I have come to terms with it. But I can only imagine that had I woken up to the news on the morning of my court case and had I been adopting from Russia...those old familiar doubts might have come flooding into my head.

I don't claim to know the answer. But I do know what His word tells us.

First, I can only imagine that God too is grieved. He sees us down here on this lonely planet. And when He set the world on its foundation, He made a beautiful and perfect world.

All men have sinned and have fallen short of the standards of God. When we did, we created a separation between ourselves and the ability of God to remain near to protect us. Sin separates us from God. He can not be where sin is.

Without God's presence, we live in a world in which all things break down and deteriorate. An old car in the sun. A two month old orange. A human body. And even social order.

We are in a constant state of deterioration.

But when we draw near to God, He draws near to us. And He gives us a new life. And He restores the life within us. And He makes all things new. This is in His Word. He makes all things new! Nothing deteriorates with God.

So how does this matter to the state of affairs in Russia this morning?

First our world has pulled away from God. As a result, we live in brokenness and deterioration. Bad things happen to people and most often at the hand of other people. God has given us free will. He has given free will to both the saint and the sinner. And that free will is a double edged sword.

While we have the freedom to act apart from God, we also have the ability to act purely for ourselves. One selfish motive from one selfish person can, like the butterfly effect, destroy the lives of thousands.

God didn't want that. But because of the gift of free will....he chose not to stop it. Instead he has given us a backup plan.

His word says in Romans 8 that "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."

On many sad occasions, I have had well meaning friends quote only a portion of that verse to me in some form or another. Unfortunately it has been reduced to a trite mix of little things we say to comfort ourselves and each other.

"God is in control and he will make everything work out for good."

Tell that to the Russian PAP this morning.

This situation is not good. It is anything but good. So the well intentioned friend would then say.

"Well, we don't know Gods plan."

Once again...true. We don't.

But then where is my security? Because now...I am in a situation that is definitely not good and I don't know God's plan. Surely there are those that will find no good thing in the end of all this mess.

And the truth is that there are many who experience no good thing. There are many who only experience pain and fear and sadness. There are many who's lives are cut short and those who know only sickness. How does that work together for good?

That is the hard question. But I think the same verse holds the answer. And I think that as a believer we have to realize that the end of that verse holds the key. "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."

God is a master weaver. And we are constantly poking holes or tying knots in His tapestry. Each of us has our own loom on which we fabricate our lives. God has said "if you will allow me...I can fix this". That is the key in that last verse. It says that God works everything together for the good of those who love Him.

That means that while bad things happen, He can fix them. But God is not going to take your loom by force. He is not going to demand that you allow him to hand it over. He says "if you let me....I can fix this."

How many of us allow him?

No...not all things work together for good for everyone. All things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.

We must be willing to walk in His purpose. We must truly know and love God. Only then do we have the reassurance that these bad things will be taken and fixed; that our broken shattered hopes and dreams will be put back together and our lives made new.

What hope is there for those who do not know nor love God?

Father, I pray for my brothers and sisters who have been devastated this morning. I pray that you remind them that if they will walk in your will....you will fix this. From this trial, may they grown in grace, be strengthened in their faith, and have their hopes renewed in You. Send them love, and comfort. Let news be forth coming quickly. You are in charge of kings and princes....and Russian authorities too. Guide the circumstances around these officials to ensure that they are setting things in order for the good of those who love you and are fulfilling the purpose of adoption that you set before them.

Comfort the mothers. Protect the children. And give strength to the fathers. You have asked us to care for the widow and the orphan. Bless those as they attempt to fulfill that commission.