Message #2 from Ethiopia

I was checking voice messages on my phone when I heard one that began, "This is Heather from Bethany Christian Services and I am calling you about Amos..."  Let's just say that I think my heart stopped beating for a few seconds until she finished her explanation! She said that Amos had made it back from the birth family trip and that we have successfully passed our Embassy appointment. And that was all  that was shared. I can draw some conclusions though...before heading to the Embassy appointment, Amos would have stopped to pick Elijah up from the orphanage...for good!! Whoo, hoo. The day when your child leaves the orphanage forever is loving called, "Gotcha Day" and Elijah's just happened to fall on 7-11-11, kinda fun! I wish I knew how both of them were feeling and what it was like for Amos to feed or bath Elijah for the first time. Oh, well, I guess I will find out soon enough. On Saturday I was throwing myself a pity party and so after a while I opened my Bible up to Romans, just randomly trying to find some kind of comfort. I turned one page and found a small devotion written by Max Lucado, entitled "God Has Adopted Us". Here it is:
"When we come to Christ, God not only forgives us, He also adopts us. Through a dramatic series of events, we go from condemned orphans with no hope to adopted children with no fear. Here is how it happens. You come before the judgement seat of God full of rebellion and mistakes. Because of His justice He cannot dismiss your sin, but because of His love He cannot dismiss you. So, in an act which stunned the Heavens, He punished Himself on the cross for your sins. God's justice and love are equally honored. And you, God's creation, are forgiven. But the story doesn't end with God's forgiveness....
It would be enough if God just cleansed your name, but He does more. He give you His name. It would be enough if God just set you free, but He does more. He takes you home...
Adoptive parents understand this more than anyone. I certainly don't mean to offend any biological parents - I'm one myself. We biological parents know well the earnest longing to have a child. But in many cases our cribs were filled easily. We decided to have a child and a child came. In fact, sometimes the child came with no decision. I've heard of unplanned pregnancies, but I've never heard of an unplanned adoption.
That's why adoptive parents understand God' passion to adopt us. They know what it means to feel an empty space inside. They know what it means to hunt, to set out on a mission, and take responsibility for a child with a spotted past and a dubious future. If anybody understands God's ardor for His children, it's someone who has rescued an orphan from despair, for that is what God has done for us. 
God has adopted you. God sought you, found you, signed the papers and took you home."

I remember reading it and smiling, knowing that even though I felt alone, not knowing what was happening in Ethiopia, God knows, and He knows my heart. He has provided just enough for me to get by and keep relying on Him. And He knew that was all I really needed. What a wonderful Creator!

Paula