God will bring it to completion.

  I was reading out of the Gospel of Luke recently about the temptation of Jesus and I noticed something new. It said, "he (the devil) left him (Jesus) until an opportune time." Often we think of the temptation of Jesus as being a 1x thing, but it was ongoing in his ministry. Jesus confronted Satan often. It is the same with us - Satan comes at "opportune" times when we are at our weakest, when something is at stake, or when we are ready to move into something God has for us.

     I recently realized, as I was having a lot of difficulty with one of my adopted children, that Satan was using  the difficulty to try and ruin my credibility with adoption. I heard this small voice saying, "How can you advocate for adoption, if your own adopted kid is wrecking havoc on your family?"

     As soon as this thought came into my mind, I recognized it for what it was - a spiritual battle. Praise God that this was followed quickly with a sense of God's strength. I did not have to listen to that lie. I could pray my way through using scripture and remembering God' promises. How one of my children turn out does not prove or disprove whether we should adopt, anymore than what a child born to you becomes can prove or disprove whether you should have kids. I don't have to make it work. I only have to be obedient.

     I didn't ask for adoption anymore that I asked for birth children. They are a part of my life, a blessed part, and I will train them up under God's guidance, but it is God who will bring them to completion.


              BE THE ONE

The Albaster Jar

God showed me something today. I was reading a book in which the author reviewed the story of the woman breaking her alabaster jar and pouring the expensive perfumed oil on Jesus's feet. This author asked several questions which really made me think and I wanted to share some of my thoughts because often when we come to the question of adoption, we ask ourselves How much does God really want us to do? and How much sacrifice is good for our family?

The first question is what is waste?  Both Judas and the disciples thought the woman was wasting the oil by pouring it on the feet of Jesus. One definition of  waste is "to spend or use carelessly or uselessly." What they were saying was that there came a point where giving to Jesus went beyond what was acceptable. Now coming from Judas (someone who did not Know the Lord), this criticism is understandable and most Christians can dismiss it by saying he was greedy. However, it was the rest of the disciples who we should look at. They were Indignant (Mark 14:4). They obviously thought that there came a point where we "waste ourselves" on our Lord. There might be a point where he asks too much of us.

So, the second question is this: When do we think God is asking too much? Do you ever find yourself saying, "God, you know I love you, but this thing is too hard. I will follow where you want me to go, but I've got to draw the line right here___________." Friends, I have thought this. I have thought that maybe God was asking too much. Surely, he wouldn't want me to sacrifice my family, or my relationships, or my health to do this thing. After reading this scripture again, it made me want to cry. How sad that after giving our lives to the Lord and accepting his gift of salvation we still hold something(s) back.

Question three then is this: Do you trust Jesus? If, after going half way on this journey he has you on, do you stop and look back as Lot's wife did, sighing at having wasted something? If so then you have not given your whole heart. Mary did not hesitate to give everything. There was no regret in her actions; only total surrender to the One who had given her true Life. We know God is love and his will is perfect. We also know he never asks us to do something we can't handle (without his help). If we trust Him, we will give up all our worries, anxiety and doubts, and embrace His will in our lives.

Question four: What is in your alabaster jar? or What do you need to waste on Jesus?
Is is a comfortable life, your retirement, your youth or your strength? Could it be your family, your children, your career or your hobbies? Remember Jesus said "no one who has left (broken their jar) home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times (emphasis mine) as much in this present age... and in the age to come, eternal life." (Mark 10:29-30)

My prayer for those reading this is that God will show you (and me) what we need to give up to him who gave his all to us. That we would readily give that thing up and joyfully walk forward into his will for our lives.

                                                           Be The One