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Because of Christ…

Have you ever prayed for something and when God answers your prayer, you, in your human nature regret ever praying it? I have wrestled with this. Recently, God brought a new sister to our church community. As a new believer, we were so excited to embrace her and love her. Little did I know what this would really mean. Often, as believers, we pray that God would use us to reach the lost, to minister to the poor, the widow, and the fatherless. Do I really know what I’m praying? This is an easy thing to ask of the Lord, but one of the most difficult things to live out in our lives. It’s easy to minister to the fatherless who live across the world, by praying for them and sending them money. But, if such a population came into our church and our personal lives, would we be able to embrace the answer to our prayer?

I confess that my heart had no love for this new sister in my life, although I knew she was in great need – spiritually, physically, financially, emotionally. I also admit that I served her in more ways than one. I even formed a group of individuals who can collectively minister to her. I can pat myself on the back for fulfilling my Christian duty of helping the poor and even getting our church members to serving her. However, my heart was hardened and reluctant to develop a deep relationship with her. Frankly, I was afraid she would continue to sap the life out of me. I allowed her to weary my heart because my heart was NOT in the right place.

As I continued to pray for her, God spoke to me clearly through His Word. Several weeks ago, I read God’s heart in Psalm 146:7-9

“He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets prisoners free,
The Lord gives sight to the blind,
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,
the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the alien and sustained the fatherless and the widow,
but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.”

God is the Defender and Upholder of the oppressed, the hungry, the prisoner, the alien, the fatherless, the widow – all these accurately describe this sister. God’s challenge to me was this: “If you really mean it when you pray you want to become more like me, this is my challenge to you. Can you follow my example of being the upholder and defender of this sister? Can you truly love and embrace her? Don’t treat her as just another case to solve or help, but truly embrace her as your daughter. Embrace her sons as your own.”

Immediately, my heart changed only because God is able to do that. I finally felt such a love for this sister. She still calls me daily asking me for help with almost everything. But now, I can lovingly help her and lovingly create boundaries for her to help her mature. It was my greatest joy to spend 7-8 hours in labor and delivery of her baby daughter this past week. I had bitter-sweet emotions as the baby came out into this world. This child is joined to a family that is quite “dysfunctional” and she will never know her father. The Lord spoke to me and I receive His promises that this child has been created for His good purposes. She is not an accident. She will never be lacking, for God will Father her perfectly. I believe and pray she will receive the Father’s love at the earliest age and be fully satisfied in His embrace.

God reminds our family that He has called us to be givers of His good life. Not once has this sister thanked me for anything, but I joyfully want to love Jesus by loving her. This is all worth my time and efforts BECAUSE OF CHRIST…

July 26, 2006