God, Be the Solution

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28, NIV)

His purpose.

God’s purpose.

Let’s read that again.

“And we know that in all things [all things, even hard things] God works [arranges, orchestrates] for the good [well-being, betterment] of those who love [adore, cherish, trust, follow] him, who have been called [charged, ordered, commanded, chosen] according to his purpose.”

God’s purpose is not…

…to make me comfortable;

…to keep me healthy;

…to make me rich;

…to give me my heart’s desire;

…to see to it that I have a carefree, safe and happy life.

God’s purpose is to…

…redeem;

…to set free;

…to reconcile;

…to make new.

What does this mean for us, for believers? How does this work in our lives? What does this look like in our current circumstances? What does this have to do with me?

If I, a lover of God, am called according to His purpose to redeem, set free, reconcile, make new, then my focus, attention, efforts and prayers better be cemented in this truth.

The boys’ mom has been on my heart since we heard last night that the agency will recommend her parental rights be terminated. I keep asking God how this fits in with His purpose. How will this situation be redeemed? How can this family be made new? How can a mother, without the hope of someday being reunited with her kids, be set free from the bondage she’s in? How will God use this situation, use me, to help reconcile this family to Him?

Hard situations often threaten to overshadow the truth. They whisper lies of hopelessness, impossibility, pain and sadness. They say that this family is irrevocably broken, that there is no rescuer waiting in the wings, no hope to save them. The enemy tries to claim victory and celebrates at a family’s devastation. He knows how easy it will be for despair to set in, take hold, crowd out the light. He is preparing his throne in the darkness.

But the Light of the World, Hope himself, knows something no one else does.

He will use this time, this hardship, this pain. He will use it for good. He has called me, and Rocky, and countless others to His purpose for these children, hundreds of thousands of orphans around the world. He has called us.

And we believe.

And we will follow Him.

We will trust that He is there, He is with us, He is riding in on his white horse called Rescue.

There is hope still.