Advent Reflection: Day 12

Thursday, December 10

Psalm 126; Habakkuk 2:1–5 Philippians 3:7–11

I have a friend who has three dogs and she is convinced that the Lord speaks to her through those dogs. Every time she preaches a sermon or leads a devotion, she uses them in some analogy. While I also have three dogs, I feel like the Lord speaks to me through my kids. My husband and I are foster parents and when I read scripture, my mind is always drawn back to our children.

At this point in our journey, we have housed and loved and said goodbye to three children, adopted one, and currently have one other nine–month–old baby girl living in our care (who has been with us since she was two days old). While our goal with foster care is always reunification, we were told from day one with this sweet girl that she would one day be eligible for adoption. Little did we know, a relative would come out of the woodwork, nine months later, and want custody.

While we do not know this relative personally, there are several factors that cause us some concern. However, when I try to discuss these concerns with our friends and family, they always say something like, “God is in control,” or, “He loves our children even more than we do.” I know they mean well, but I’ll be honest: it doesn’t help. There are literally millions of children all over the world who are suffering at the hands of evil. Where is God in that? What about the countless broken homes that we see all around us, with no one to intervene? Needless to say, I’ve really wrestled with this quite a bit these last few weeks.

However, I know that I am not alone in my struggle. Israel was no stranger to this brokenness. They too shed their fair share of tears. They longed for Zion and yearned for the day when all would be restored. In the midst of the pain it’s hard to fathom, but the Lord promises us that “those who sow with tears, will reap with songs of joy.” That is my prayer: that the tears I shed, and the tears those children shed, will one day be turned to shouts of joy, when the Lord restores the fortunes of Zion.

“For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come; it will not delay.” Advent is the perfect reminder of this season of waiting. We know that Christ is coming, but he is not here yet. We long for that day, believing that his coming will bring with it perfection, here on Earth as it is in Heaven. Therefore, we must not lose hope. We must not give in to doubt. The day is coming. But until that day, even through our tears and pain and brokenness, we must remember: “The Lord has done great things for us, and so we are filled with joy.”

Mindy Robinson
Coordinator for Community Engagement and Student Ministries