“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For Your sake we face death all day long: we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Romans 8:35-37
Bruce and Athena Jarman are pastor friends of ours in Montevideo, MN. They adopted a two year old Chinese boy named Judah who came to them with deformed feet. China had a one child policy at the time, so if parents didn’t like the child they birthed they could choose to put them in a state orphanage and try for another child that might be more acceptable to them. Because of Judah’s deformity, his parents didn’t want him.
Bruce and Athena did. They set their love on this little guy and at great expense brought him back to their home in Montevideo. After much prayer for a physical miracle, they felt God leading them to a different plan. Judah had to have both feet amputated and was fit with prosthetics.
Bruce assured his wife that when he gets older and understands all the facts, he will agree with the decision. But there was no way to explain at the time.
When we “love God and are called according to His purpose” none of our suffering is wasted. It is accomplishing some purpose in us for the glory of God and the good of mankind even when we can’t possibly understand how. One day, when we get all the information, we will agree with God’s dealings. For now we need to hold on to His great love in the midst of circumstances He’s allowing. Nothing can separate us from His love!
One Thing 