Since we adopted our son, I look forward to any and every milestone as they often remind me of God’s kindness to our family. Tears of gratitude marked events like the first birthday we were able to celebrate together, his baptism witnessed by our church who prayed for him long before they knew him, the first time he trusted me enough to rest his head on my shoulder and his first time making our not-so-secret family granola recipe. There was one milestone I particularly looked forward to which I called “tipping point day”. It was the day that signified that our son has spent more days with us than in anyone else’s care and that made me feel happy and assured. However, with deeper reflection, God showed me that while what I anticipated was indeed something to appreciate, it was so much smaller than what is truly worth celebrating.
When I thought about being with my son longer than anyone else (which although silly, made me feel a little more secure about being his mom), God gently, and aptly, corrected me that He formed him, was with him since before he was born and endured separation from his son so that there will never be a time or a place my son would have to be without Him. Mic drop. There is no way I could ever outnumber God’s days with our son, let alone, know and love him the way God does. God knows the number of hairs on my son’s head – do any of us know that about our children or even ourselves?! He is always with and for his children and this is sure reason for celebration.
Remembering how we prayed for our son and tackled hurdle after hurdle to bring him home, I hoped this knowledge would help comfort him as he processed his past, but God opened my eyes wider through a study on Isaiah written by Kathleen Nielson. God demonstrates that He is the one who is faithful to remember and move in ways we cannot imagine, as when He restored two devasted port cities in Isaiah 23. I almost missed the significance of this until the study pointed to Ezra 3:1-7 to find out why. I won’t spoil it for you – look it up and see how amazing, thoughtful and worthy our God is! His remembering is brilliant, active, loving, intentional and righteous, not like me remembering a date on the calendar. He truly cares – not only for the orphan, but also, the couple who still longed for another child after years of heartache and the big sister who prayed every night for 3 years for a baby brother who would be small enough for her to hold (and he was!), and most of all, for His glory. I pray that every time you hear our son’s name (which means “God remembers”), you will be encouraged to trust, in all circumstances, Him who is able to truly remember.
Christians, God gifts us with an abundance of “milestones” and promises to celebrate in His Word and most incredibly, His Son. May we treasure these as we eagerly wait (Romans 8:23-25)!
Joanne and her family are members of GRC.