Thursday, September 6, 2012

Faith and Expectations (a personal struggle with faith)

To understand this post, please read my prior post about Praying For a Miracle.

I am writing this the night before the court conducts a mediation for my foster children. The purpose of the mediation is to convince the mother of my foster children to allow us to adopt her four children, which would also terminate her parental rights.  From a human standpoint, the mediation will be a waste of time and nothing will change.  But I am praying for a miracle, praying that God will change the mother's mind and it will be obvious to everyone that God performed a miracle.

Now my dilemma.  Can God perform this miracle?  Absolutely yes.  I have absolute faith and confidence that He can perform this miracle.

But, I do not know if He will perform the miracle. 

Do I have faith or not? 

Since I know He can do the miracle, should I expect Him to do the miracle?  Since I don't know if He will perform the miracle, how can I expect Him to perform the miracle?  If I know He can do the miracle, but do not expect Him to do the miracle, do I have faith? 

Your thoughts . . .

Praying For a Miracle

God has been teaching me that He wants Christians to do great works of faith for Him.  I recently studied the life of Joshua and saw God do many miracles when Joshua and the people lived by faith, rather than fear.  Unfortunately, most Christians are satisfied to live a normal, mundane, average life that does not require them faith or a reliance on God.  Instead, they are content to rely on their own strength and talent.  My family has chosen to live a life of faith that stretches us and requires us to rely on God.  For us, this life of faith led us to raising four foster children, currently ages 8, 3, 2, and 1, and has required us to look for His mighty acts. 

Again, we are looking for God to act in a mighty, miraculous way.  For several months, the status of the foster children has been at an impasse.  The State wants to terminate parental rights and have us adopt the children. The Mom wants her children back. If the Mom does not give in, there will be a trial and the matter is heading toward a trial, with lawyers obtaining experts and preparing.  Prior to trial, the Court is making a last ditch effort to reach a resolution; a mediation will be conducted tomorrow, Friday.  At mediation, a strong attempt will be made to have the Mom agree to allow us to adopt the kids. From a human standpoint, it seems impossible for the Mom to consent. The Mom is, understandably, very bitter and angry.  While she is happy that they are in our home, she will not cooperate because she wants her children returned to her.  Apparently, mediation will be in vain.

God is greater.  God wants to do things that are beyond us.  He wants to do things that we cannot do.  He wants to do things that no one can do.  He wants to do things that are so outrageous that all who see it will admit that only God could have done it.  Joshua saw the Red Sea divide and collapse on the
Egyptian army, saw water come from a rock, saw God daily provide manna and quail for food, saw God's presence spare him for being stoned when he opposed the ten spies, saw the Jordan River divide, saw the great walls of Jericho fall, saw God rain down hail to kill enemy soldiers, and saw the sun stand still so that his army could complete a victory.  Every one of these events was clearly a miraculous act of God.  I believe God wants to continue to do such miracles, both in my life and in the life of other Christians. 

So, I am praying for a miracle.  I want to see, and have others see, God perform a miracle.  From a human perspective, tomorrow will be a stalemate.  Nothing will change.  Everyone will continue to walk down the road to a trial.  But, God can change the heart of the mother.  I pray that this will happen.  I pray that He will perform a miracle tomorrow.  This miracle will allow us to forever raise four young, needy, unsaved children with the goal of having them accept Jesus as their personal Savior and grow to be godly adults.  This miracle will be good for the children. 

More than that, this miracle will be a witness to many.  Several social workers and attorneys are involved in this case.  They all believe the mediation will be hopeless. But, we have continually told them God is working.  They wonder why we would be so crazy that we would take four difficult foster children.  They wonder why we would obtain waivers to accept two children more than we should have according to state rules.  They wonder why the children are growing so well in our home.  They wonder how my wife does so much, raising the four foster children and home schooling her own four children, etc., etc., while maintaining such peace.  We openly tell everyone that this is a work of God.  Even though we tell them, I don't think they really get it.  Tomorrow, I pray that they will get it.  Tomorrow, I pray that God will work such a miracle (Mom will consent to the adoption) that everyone will know that God acted.

I am looking forward to seeing God act.