Monday, December 28, 2009

Faith and Trust

It seems to be taking quite a while for us to get our immigration paperwork and the January 1, 2010 deadline will be here in 3 days. It does not look likely that we are going to make it. It is extremely hard to explain what God has been doing in the lives of this family. This adoption process has forced us to give everything over to Him and through that, God is transforming all of us.

I have learned how amazing it is to give absolutely everything over to Him. From the minute I wake up to the minute we go to bed. This is not an easy thing to do, and some days it doesn't happen at all. But when I give God every tiny aspect of my day I can see Him work in the smallest and most beautiful of ways.

Christmas has been especially profound this year. It has touched me deeply. When you hear the Christmas story every year for 40 years you become numb to it. But this year it has been different. It is as if God has clarified it a little for me.

When I question why things are happening the way they are, why Oslene is still in the orphanage, why it will take so long etc., I fall back on the birth of Christ. There is no other "god" out there that has done what our God has done. No "god" has shown the kind of love that our God has. Our God loved us so much that He, being fully divine, not needing anything, came to be a baby and grow up in and amongst us - humanity. He created us and then we turned our backs on Him. Refusing Him, ignoring Him, following other gods. But regardless of that, He continued to pursue us and show us His love. What other god has humbled himself so much that he came down to live among the ones he created and the ones who rejected him. And then on top of that, He came down to serve those he created. It is profound. He didn't come down to throw around guilt, rule with an iron fist or rise to the top. He came to serve others so that we could see an example of perfect love and self sacrifice.

It does not make any sense to think that Jesus was just a man. The great humanitarians of this world never claimed to be God. They were wonderful examples for us (Mother Teresa, Gandhi, Dali Lama, Martin Luther King etc.) These were people who showed us what self sacrifice looked like. They promoted peace and the service of other, but they never claimed to be God. People say that Jesus was a great man and teacher. His message was one of the service of others. But yet he claimed to be God. He said over and over that he was from the Father and that he had always been. He and the Father were one. He was God in human form. How can ANYONE say that Jesus was a great humanitarian, a great teacher and great leader if he was not what he claimed to be. It seems to come down to some fairly simple logic: either I believe that Jesus is God who came here as a baby, to grow up to be a man that was the example of perfect love. Who then was brutally killed even though he was completely innocent. All this to be the final sacrifice for all mankind. So that we could be reconnected with our God. OR ... he was completely crazy and I can't believe a word of the bible or anything he preached. Why would anyone believe that a liar and crazy man was a "good teacher", "peaceful man", "humanitarian". It makes no sense. If someone says they are God, and they are not, that discounts EVERYTHING they say.

I believe that the evidence clearly points heavenward. I take great comfort knowing that a God who loves me so much came down to be on our level. A God who loves me so much that he wants a relationship with ME personally. A God who loves the world so much, that even though there have been billions and billions of people on this earth, I can have a one to one relationship with Him. With that kind of love, I must trust that He is in control. I must trust that even if it makes no sense to me, He knows far more than I could ever know. I must trust that His timing is perfect and that He knows everything about Oslene. I must trust Him. Either I trust Him completely, or I put my bible down and walk away. I chose to put my full faith and trust in Him regardless what happens.