Friday, September 7, 2007

grumble, grumble

Well, still nothing - BUT we did hear from a lady that traveled to Russia during the same time as us and she got her courtdate yesterday. So we're continuing to hear the good news that there is activity going on. I'm thinking we're getting down to "days" and not "weeks or months".

In the meantime, I wanted to share the following passage: (taken from Romans 8 - "The Message" translation. I haven't posted too many sermons on this blog, so I figure I'm allowed one or two from time to time. Read it a couple of times if you have to. It's really insightful!

All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it's not only around us; it's within us. The Spirit of God is arounsing us within. We're also feeling the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don't see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy.

Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.

Ryan's take:

I've thought for sometime that the whole "institution" of parenthood was to give us a better understanding as to how God feels about each of us.

Even more, I have come to understand that the institution of adoption is a God ordained one and gives us even a deeper understanding as to how God feels about us. (He frequently calls us his "adopted" kids. No one is simply born into heaven.)

Although this waiting thing really sucks, I think that this passage gives me a little more insight as to what it's all about.

(OK - there! I've learned my lesson, now can we get our courtdate?)

1 comment:

Chris said...

Thanks for the great post! It was very helpful, as we have the same feelings about all this waiting. We were expecting to get our court date this week, and it didn't happen. Hopefully we will get it next week. It is all about God's timing.

I really enjoyed reading Romans 8, it brings some peace and reason to this waiting.