143 million in the world today...143,000,000!). With every passing year, she will become less "cute," thus less adoptable. In a few years, on her eighteenth birthday (or thirteenth if she lives in China), she will be expelled from the system. She might join the military or find job training. Maybe she'll stare at a tile on the ceiling above her as her body is violated—alone or before a camera crew of strangers—by a man who's willing to pay enough for her to eat for one day. Maybe she'll place a revolver in her mouth or tie a rope around her neck, knowing no one will notice except the ones who have to clean up afterward. This story could just as well describe a boy who is orphaned. Can you feel the desperation of what it means to be an orphan? Jesus can. Orphans are his little sisters and brothers. He hears them.
In saying that orphan care is missional, I do not mean that every Christian is called to adopt or foster a child. But every Christian is called to care for orphans. As with every aspect of Christ's mission, a diversity of gifts abounds. Some have room at their table and in their hearts for another stocking on the mantle by this coming Christmas. Others are gifted financially to help families who would like to adopt but cannot figure out how to make ends meet. Others can babysit while families with children make their court dates and complete home-study papers.
Still others can lead mission trips to rock and hug and sing to orphans who may never be adopted. Pastors can simply ask whether anyone in their congregation might be called to adopt or foster parent, or to empower someone who is. And all of us can pray—specifically and urgently—for orphans the world over." Christianity Today
You see, the girl described above could have been my daughter Grace. We adopted Grace when she was 10 1/2 months old from one of the thousands of orphanages in China. God led us to adopt her just as surely as He allowed our other children to be conceived in my womb. He chose Grace for our family from the beginning of time, but what if we hadn't listened to His call? What if we had longed and desired for a baby born to us instead or thought it was too expensive or figured someone else would adopt them?
Our precious daughter Grace would not be a part of our family. I would not have gotten to spend the last sixteen years of my life with one of my best friends. I would not have experienced the moment at our breakfast table, when she was four, when she invited Jesus to live in her heart or have read her many heartfelt letters to Jesus, since then, or witnessed the love she showers on her siblings and her parents. You see, Grace has just as much potential in her life to do great things for God, to touch the lives of countless people with the love of Christ, as our other children have.
And no...we did not save her...no, she should never feel that she needs to be somehow grateful (above and beyond the normal gratitude any child should feel for their parents' care of them). It is Jeff and I who are grateful. Grateful to God that we listened when He called us to adoption. Grateful to God that we have been given the privilege of sharing our lives with this precious little girl. Grateful to God that through Grace, God began breaking our hearts for the "least of these."
Adoption is God's heart for us. We are all adopted into His family...see Romans 8:23, 9:4. Numerous times in His Word God tells us to take care of the orphans (Deut. 10:18, 14:29, 16:11, 24:17, 24:19, 27:19; Job 29:12; Ps. 10:14, 68:5, 146:9; Isa. 1:17; Jer. 22:3; Zech. 7:10).
So, do we pray for, support and perhaps take in the orphan out of guilt or condemnation? No. We care about them because in "What you do for the least of these, you do for Me," Matt. 25:45. Jesus asks us, time and again, to care for the orphans. As we step out in obedience, we not only care for them, we are caring for our precious Jesus. And I promise you, from very personal experience, there is great reward! I only have to look into the eyes of my precious daughter Grace to see that truth!
I saw the face of Jesus in a little orphan girl
She was standing in the corner on the other side of the world
And I heard the voice of Jesus gently whisper to my heart
Didn't you say you wanted to find me?
Well, here I am, here you are
So, What now?
What will you do now that you found Me?
What now?
What will you do with this treasure you've found?
I know I may not look like what you expected
But if you'll remember this is right where I said I would be
You've found me
What now?
Lyrics from Steven Curtis Chapman's song "What Now?"
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