Advocate

“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”‭‭1 John‬ ‭2:1‬ ‭

Advocate: a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy. Synonym: champion

“but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

We were watching an episode of “This is Us” last night. Randall and his family are foster parents to a young woman named Deja. In this episode, we see more of her backstory. As her story unfolds, I realized how important it is for foster kids to have an advocate. A voice through an adult when they feel like they don’t have a voice.

As my mind usually does, it took off on another tangent. I was reminded that Christ is our advocate with the Father. We, sinful people, have an advocate with the Holy Father! We do not have to worry about not being heard.

When life gets hard, I will remember that I have a voice. God hears me through His Son. A Son that died on the cross for me a little less than 2000 years ago today.

I will also remember that I should be the voice, the advocate, the champion for those who feel like they have no voice. The marginalized, the downtrodden, the young, and the old. I will be a pest until those voices are heard.

These kiddos need my voice. Our voice.


“And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.'” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?””

‭‭Luke‬ ‭18:1-8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“”Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:7-8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Children

If you want to have a extra special place in my heart, love my children. Hug them. Tell them they are handsome. Run to them if they are hurt. Hold them. Teach them.

Don’t you think God feels the same way?

Nothing frustrates me as a parent more than when the kids are not getting along. The inevitable scream (or screech in E’s case), followed by stomping of feet, hitting, etc. When they calm down and reconcile, maybe start sharing, it is wonderful.

Don’t you think God feels the same way?

In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says He came, not to abolish the Law or Prophets, but to fulfill them (Matthew 5:17). In Matthew 7:12 He says, “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” This is how we love. The next verse describes this way as narrow, but this way leads to LIFE!

If we love others, our Father is pleased. They are His children, just as we are His children. If we live peacefully with each other, sacrificing ourselves if need be, our Father is pleased. They are our brothers and sisters.

This not optional. This is LIFE!

John 10:10 ESV The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

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Waiting…

This past Wednesday, my husband and I went to the USCIS (immigration) to have our fingerprints taken. Again…We are told that it is a 75 day wait for someone to even look at our file. Waiting is not new for us. God told us to look toward China way back in 2006. The difference is we have a child (Di Di) waiting.

Now, let’s take a different look at waiting. Yesterday, our first child “D” decided he wanted to color a picture for Jesus. He wanted Jesus to come get it. Well, we had a discussion about why He could not come get the picture, but He would see it. He would see it before D even colored it. We talked about how Jesus would come back one day. D started to cry. He wanted Jesus to come now. We are all waiting. Waiting for the second coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ. No one knows except God when He will return.

Waiting is hard. Waiting has a purpose. What purpose does waiting serve?

  1. Waiting develops patience.
  2. Waiting develops endurance.
  3. Waiting develops character.
  4. Waiting prepares the way for what is to come.
  5. Waiting softens our hearts.

What do we do while we wait? Well, while the disciples were in the upper room waiting for the Holy Spirit to come, they prayed. Not for a minute. Not for an hour. They prayed for days. DAYS!

Isaiah 40:31 ESV. But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Other versions replace the word wait with trust. If we wait and do not give up, it shows that we trust that what has been promised will come true. What do you do while you wait?

April Fool’s! Or not…

April 1, and I am not fooling. I am blogging! Here is the story of why I started this today.

My husband and I are pursuing the adoption of a little boy (Di Di) from China. We thought we were getting a Mei Mei, but God proved otherwise. Hoop after hoop to jump through. Paper after paper to sign. Here we are, almost ready. Then, we hear the USCIS is 75 days behind sending out appointments for fingerprints. What?!?

Today, we get a notice that China has sent us a letter of acceptance. Once we sign this letter and send it back, the clock starts ticking. At that point we have 3 months to travel to China. We cannot send this letter back until we get fingerprints done. What do I have in my mailbox when I get home? An appointment for fingerprints…

Who is in control? God.

How do we release control to God?

  1. Pray
  2. Study the word
  3. Practice

1 Corinthians 1:18 NASB.  For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

When has God shown you that He is in control?