Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Love

   The absense of LOVE in this world amazes me.
   A lonely child that has lost everything, its home, its family, lies in a crib silently, not even daring to cry because it knows that no one will answer if it shouts for love.
   A family in America that has lost nothing and gained everything, choosing to follow God and be everything that God intended them to be for the child, being blessed by taking them home...
   They get QUESTIONS.
   Let me say that again: QUESTIONS.
   I just don't GET that.
   When will you be DONE?
   Is this a HOBBY of yours?
   Don't you think you have had ENOUGH?
   HOW MANY MORE TIMES are you going to adopt?
   Aren't you afraid that you are NEGLECTING your own family to gain another member?
   Why are you doing this? God called you?
   Are you sure?
   People ask these questions out of curiosity, sometimes out of ignorance, sometimes out of judgement. They haven't seen a child that is literally a skeleton, that cannot function properly, that does not cry because they know no one will hear, that feels pain when touched because they are not used to it. They have not seen a child so hungry that the body has begun to eat itself, breaking down the muscles to survive.
   They have not seen or sometimes even heard about it. No, people think we are strange for knowing it.
   My response? Why are you coming to me? Do you think I can answer that? If you want to know soo bad, ask GOD why. Ask GOD.
   Would we ask God why He STILL accepts the broken?
   Would we ask God when He will be DONE forgiving and DONE accepting new children?
   Do we ask God if saving His creation is a HOBBY of His?
   Do we ask God how many more times He is going to save?
   Do we ask God if He thinks He is neglecting His children to bring home another?
   I don't want to sound like I am heaping judgement on people. I am trying to get my point across.
   THIS is what explains love to me.
   I know the love I have for my siblings, four out of seven of which were adopted, plus a sister we are adopting from China. Her legs are so deformed that she cannot wear shoes, that she cannot walk, that we will have to amputate her legs when we finally bring her home.
   I LOVE HER SO MUCH, her PAIN is mine. I am feeling the FEAR for her, I feel SICK knowing what she is about to go through leaving her country to go to a completely different place. I actually had a dream the other night that someone had amputated MY legs during my sleep. I hurt because of it.
   I know that I would do just about anything to bring her home.
   That's how God feels for us.
   He loves us so much, our PAIN is His. He knows the FEAR that we feel, and He feels the PAIN we are about to go through, leaving our own life of sin to go to a completely different place. But He knows that it will come to good in the end. He thinks about us ALL THE TIME, and it is so strange to think that the God that knows all and sees all loves me. Thinks about me. Wants to bring me home.
   Don't understand forgiveness yet?
   God is not DONE forgiving.
   He is never DONE loving.
   He does not "count" the number of his children then sit back and go, "Well, I think that's enough."
   "Let the others suffer." He just doesn't say that.
   We follow a God that looks at us, at US, and says He does not care what we have done. He cares about what we will do, what he can use us for to bring His other children home.
   Love is a wide topic. It can never be covered completely, it is so large it covers everything, it is deeper than the ocean and wider than the sea.
   John 3:16
   "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."
   God IS Love.

5 comments:

Renae said...

SO proud of you Sarah! Beautifully written:)! Preach on Sister;)!

eliz said...

Sarah the Lord has given you a gift of His Words. (((HUGS))) Don't quit! Love and prayers, A Sister in Christ-Elizabeth in MN

Sonya said...

Sarah, What a strong message, so perfectly written! It is so good to read the viewpoint of a sibling on the adoptions of her brothers and sisters. *You* are standing in the gap, not only for your little siblings, but for all the children being added to families who stepped out in faith.
in Christ,
Sonya

Brenna said...

Beautifully and wonderfully said, Sarah. Thank you for sharing your heart here, and for encouraging us all! God is not DONE with His children. How can walk away?

Aimee said...

Sarah, we haven't met, but your mom and I have "talked" online. What a beautifully written piece on God's heart for these little ones and for each of his children! What perfect answers to commonly asked questions. Regarding your dream, I was SO worried when our son was going to have his amputations, I understand your heart. It is scary, but I know God's hand is on your sister, and she is going to do amazing things!