Big Faith in Four Small Words
Sitting at the kitchen table the aging woman scrolled through picture after picture of her infant grandson. Worry etched the wrinkles deeper into her face as she explained that he had been moved for the second time, to another foster home.
“We will do it.”
The young mom was surprised by the words as they slipped off her tongue. She was certain they weren’t even her own. Her husband nodded his head in agreement. They would take him; this little man in foster care who needed a stable family, whose mother was addicted even in pregnancy to drugs and alcohol, whose father was in and out of jail, whose future was uncertain.
They would do it.
Those four small words embody faith walking forward.
Those four small words drive them to their knees again and again.
Those four small words are their daily expressions of prayer and worship, obedience and boldness.
Those four small words deepen, complicate and stretch their hearts.
Those four small words usher them into a new uncertainty.
Was this God’s will for their family?
Would He protect this baby from his unstable parents?
Would the borken social work system rule in their favour? Delays.
Would they have to give him back?
Would their own biological son be ok with the changes?
Could their marriage withstand the upheaval and stress? Questions.
Could they afford another baby?
Would he have developmental setbacks?
What if he required additional resources? Finances.
What about managing work schedules?
Who would watch him during the day?
Could they manage sleepless nights again? Work.
Would they have what it takes to foster?
Could adoption even be an option?
Could their hearts withstand the hurt of rejection? Training.
A community gathered tighter around them, supporting, praying, celebrating. At times, crying with them through court cases, social workers visits, and biological parent’s visits. In the process they fell in love.
Love feels like pain sometimes.
Love, prayer and peace increased as did confidence in God’s timing, and a trust even in the unknown. What joy in his first steps. What delight in his laughter. What bitter sweetness in his first words, “Mama”.
“If we keep him for 6 months or if we keep him for forever. God knows, and his timing will be perfect. He will walk with us. We will do it.”
Are you afraid? Are you unsure? Faith walk forward, my child. There’s joy on the other side.
James 1
2 My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy that you can! 3 For you know that when your faith is tested[c it stirs up power within you to endure all things. 4 And then as your endurance grows even stronger it will release perfection into every part of your being until there is nothing missing and nothing lacking.
12 If your faith remains strong, even while surrounded by life’s difficulties, you will continue to experience the untold blessings of God! True happiness comes as you pass the test with faith, and receive the victorious crown of life promised to every lover of God!
22 Don’t just listen to the Word of Truth and not respond to it, for that is the essence of self-deception. So always let his Word become like poetry written and fulfilled by your life!
23 If you listen to the Word and don’t live out the message you hear, you become like the person who looks in the mirror of the Word to discover the reflection of his face in the beginning. 24 You perceive how God sees you in the mirror of the Word, but then you go out and forget your divine origin. 25 But those who set their gaze deeply into the perfecting law of liberty are fascinated by and respond to the truth they hear and are strengthened by it—they experience God’s blessing in all that they do!
27 True spirituality that is pure in the eyes of our Father God is to make a difference in the lives of the orphans, and widows in their troubles, and to refuse to be corrupted by the world’s values.
