Grace for My Waiting Friends

Grace for My Waiting Friends

Posted by Candace

All of heaven stood poised and silent as the couple walked into the room.  This is the day they had waited for, they had planned for, they had prayed for.  The hosts had been furiously and feverishly working to bring detail after detail together.  It had been a long, grueling wait for the man and woman who were being watched with such holy anticipation.  Though the activity in heaven was daily directed at bringing this moment together in perfect harmony, the couple had not seen with their eyes what a stir their prayers were causing.  They could not see the preparation that needed to go into this new family.  They could not see that one of the most important and combatted events on earth was happening through them.  They could not see the spiritual warfare going on as the Host of Heaven held off every attempt of the enemy to kill, steal, and destroy.

And it all came down to this moment...the moment when a child...their child would be placed into their arms.  A child who had never known the breath of his mother on his face...who had never felt a father's strong arms around him...who had never heard the sound of "I love you" when it rides on heartfelt whispers.  This child had NO idea how often he had been prayed for, how longingly he was loved, how much sacrifice had already been made. 

And his parents could never imagine how crucial each day that they waited for him was to the plan.  In their minds it was torture, a sacrifice almost too difficult to make.  In the heavenly realm, it was opportunity.  Growth happened in those moments that would be impossible in the comfortable wake of realizing their dream.  Preparation was made without which a disaster could have soon ensued.  The Divine Appointer of Kairos had been present to oversee every twist and turn.  And as He walked into the room, the hush in heaven deepened...  it was finally time.

The soon-to-be parents rose to their feet as the social worker entered the room.  In her arms she held the despondent form of a child.  Only the Host could see the chains that encompassed his body...only they could see the enemy's icy clutches that still entangled the small figure.  The woman gasped as they brought the little boy forward.  He looked at her with wary eyes that had already seen enough of "life" to last a lifetime.  Heaven eagerly watched... they had seen this part before... they knew what was about to happen... they were ready.  The mother reached out her arms and her child was placed in her chest... the same place that she would have held him if she had been the one to birth him.  The heavens let out a cheer as the icy clutches of Satan dissolved and the baby was set free.  There would be more work to do as these parents guided their little boy toward "True Life", but right now the victory was poignant.  The Lord of Heaven let out a laugh...there would be one less orphan in the world tonight... and because He was the Knower of All Things, He knew that one day this little boy's heart would be rescued as well.  This one would be redeemed twice.

As you wait for the Lord to bring about the perfect timing of your adoption, there are a couple of things you should know...

• He is Sovereign: the events happening around you in this wait are not coincidence if you are seeking His Will.  He is orchestrating things that you never could have envisioned. Don't short cut His process because the flesh wants something else.  I can guarantee the flesh will want something else. Don't fight Him...it just makes the process longer and more difficult.
• He is Near: there will be many days when you think that God could not possibly be involved in your process and that He has left you on your own, standing in the middle of nowhere...but you are wrong.  He is intimate with every detail.  Trust Him.  I mean trust Him even when it feels like the stupidest thing that you've ever done.  Trust Him when everything within you screams "DO SOMETHING!"  Believe that He is at work and that He will work everything for good. 
• He is Enough: even if you never get to the end of this...even if this wasn't about adoption...even if this was about changing YOU...ultimately life is all about Him.  Are you brave enough to resolve up front that if there is NOTHING for you at the end of this calling, you will follow?  Do you love Him enough to say "YOU are enough."?  If I never hold my child... if I hold a child that is nothing like I had ever expected... if Your plans are different from mine... "YOU are enough!"  Because He is.  And our life's calling is to bring glory to His Name... sometimes bringing glory to His Name will be a sacrifice...sometimes it will be painful...sometimes it will be seen by no one but the enemy's camp where demons are forced to fall to their knees at your uncompromising obedience to the Father.  I don't say this to scare you.  I say it to inspire you to change your perspective.  This is not about bringing a child home... this is about following Jesus.

And you know what?  He IS these things while you wait... He IS these things when your wait is done... and He IS these things long after your wait is forgotten.  My friend, the challenges do not end in the waiting... they just begin there.  If you are taking a step out on faith to follow Jesus, you better get used to living there, because you aren't going back.  He will only ever take you deeper... and deeper... and deeper... and even the first time, you will realize that you will drown without Him.  There is the real goal, friends... total dependence on Christ... Losing your life so that you gain it.  When we get this through our thick skulls, it is there we will find grace for the wait.