Yesterday the Austin Stone hosted a panel of foster parents, and tonight we hosted a panel of adoptive parents. Both sessions were rich times of encouragement, joy, and shared wisdom. But my favorite quotation came from a couple who adopted a sibling set of four teenagers out of foster care. The father related the following discussion:
Man: "Pastor, please be in prayer for us. We are considering whether or not God is calling us to adopt."
Pastor: "Well it's definitely not Satan tempting you."
I love the stark truth and simple humor of that response. God calls us to care for the orphan. Satan tries to derail our efforts--he loves when children grow up surrounded by abuse and neglect instead of love.
Christ defeated Satan through His sacrificial death and resurrection. Let's defeat him on earth through Spirit-inspired sacrificial love and redemption.
Thus says the LORD, “Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears; for your work will be rewarded,” declares the LORD, “And they will return from the land of the enemy. There is hope for your future,” declares the LORD, “And your children will return to their own territory." --Jeremiah 31:16-17
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