Adoption, Encouragement, Family

Is Love ENOUGH?

heartLast night we went out to eat as a family to celebrate Brad’s birthday. As we were waiting for our food, I asked my boys if they realized how spoiled they were. They responded with yes they knew and right away one of them said, “Stephen probably never has been able to go to a restaurant like this.” We went on to talk about all the things that Stephen probably has not done and all the new things that we will need to teach him.

I have been thinking about this conversation and a lot has been going through my brain. What are the reasons why Stephen would want to be adopted? He probably is unaware of the many 1st World opportunities that he does not even know what all will be available to him, so is it just for LOVE? The love of a family? I know what I want to offer him, I want to offer him love, family, hope, education, dreams, purpose and a lot of STUFF!! I want to give him a nice room, his own bicycle, electronics and the list can go on and on of stuff that I think he might want or need. Yes all of these things seem important to us because it is what we KNOW but what is going to be most important when Stephen comes home? Our total love and acceptance; because as we give him these he will then be able to know and understand God’s love for him.

I am feeling convicted in my relationship with God. Why do I want to be adopted into God’s family? Is it just for love or do I think and demand stuff from God? Is my relationship with God strong to the point that His love and acceptance of me just as I am is ENOUGH? What if my prayers are not answered and life is hard and painful and I’m not getting all the STUFF that I want, is HIS LOVE enough?

We are living in a society where we have access to so much stuff that I think we become spoiled and bogged down with trivial things and lose out on the meaning that God so intended for His children. He has adopted all of us into His family out of His incredible LOVE for us PERIOD! That’s all folks, God desires a relationship with me and He offers me that LOVE freely, no strings attached and I get a BIG FAMILY of other Christ Lovers with it too!

So as I put myself in Stephen’s shoes as an orphan with NOTHING to my name and Jesus came and said “LET ME LOVE YOU, I’m not promising you riches, glory or stuff, JUST LOVE” Would I still say YES? My head screams YES OF COURSE, but my heart says I need a bit more work done, I need to lay down my expectations and IDEALS and just take God at HIS Word…. I LOVE YOU LISA and that is ENOUGH!

Encouragement

So the Lord must wait for you…

I have Isaiah 30:18 highlighted in pink in my Bible and this morning it leaped out at me especially the first part. “So the Lord must wait for you to come to Him..”  It reminded me that God is always present but that He is waiting for me to make the move.  It isn’t HE that has grown distant but me if I don’t feel Him.  The second part of the verse is what I long for from my Heavenly Father “so He can show you His love and compassion.

What a convicting and humbling reminder that I am in charge of my relationship with God, He wants a close connection more than I can imagine and He is ALWAYS there,  He is just waiting for me to come.  What have I let get in the way?

God, forgive me for making you wait, I come to you now with my praise and thanksgiving for being a God of love and compassion.  You have showered me with blessings to many to name.  Thank you for your patience with me, your child.

Has anyone else kept God waiting lately?  He has a lot of love and compassion just waiting for you.