"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in Heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!" -Matthew 7:11
After a year and a half of sponsoring my little Sulmi, I know her letter writing schedule so well that I can basically pinpoint down to the day when her letters will arrive. So, I knew that because today was the third Saturday in September, her yearly photo update was due to come in the mail. I prayed fervently for days that it would get here. I even dreamed about it last night. I woke up early this morning and checked the mailbox twice, despite knowing that it was too early for mail to arrive. Yes, I went a tad bit loca.
Finally, I saw the mail truck coming down my street. I put on my glasses (near-sighted all the way!) and watched out the window through a rain storm as the mail man put a large white envelope in my mailbox. Frantically looking for an umbrella, then deciding I didn't want to waste the time to find one, I bolted out into the rain. Sure enough, inside my mailbox was an envelope from Guatemala! When I got inside and opened it, I found my little beauty's picture, shown above.
Later tonight at church, a man who has been so supportive of my ministry to Sulmi and my other girls was asking me about them. I shared Sulmi's new picture with him, so proud of my sweet girl. In return, he told me something that I'm pretty sure I will always remember as long as I live: Just like I long for every detail about Sulmi, beg God for her letters and pictures to arrive, watch anxiously for the mail truck, and even run through a rain storm to receive any sign of communication from her, God does the same for me. Like we actually learned about at church tonight, God longs for and delights in every detail about His children. So much so that the bible says He has every hair on our heads numbered. He eagerly watches as we enter His sanctuary, because He longs to talk with us. He took the brunt of the rain, running through the storms of sin and death to save us and make us His. Though He was perfect and never had to come and die, He gladly took on that storm. The only thing He gained, was us. Yet He did it all, because He decided that it was worth it.
Finally, I saw the mail truck coming down my street. I put on my glasses (near-sighted all the way!) and watched out the window through a rain storm as the mail man put a large white envelope in my mailbox. Frantically looking for an umbrella, then deciding I didn't want to waste the time to find one, I bolted out into the rain. Sure enough, inside my mailbox was an envelope from Guatemala! When I got inside and opened it, I found my little beauty's picture, shown above.
Later tonight at church, a man who has been so supportive of my ministry to Sulmi and my other girls was asking me about them. I shared Sulmi's new picture with him, so proud of my sweet girl. In return, he told me something that I'm pretty sure I will always remember as long as I live: Just like I long for every detail about Sulmi, beg God for her letters and pictures to arrive, watch anxiously for the mail truck, and even run through a rain storm to receive any sign of communication from her, God does the same for me. Like we actually learned about at church tonight, God longs for and delights in every detail about His children. So much so that the bible says He has every hair on our heads numbered. He eagerly watches as we enter His sanctuary, because He longs to talk with us. He took the brunt of the rain, running through the storms of sin and death to save us and make us His. Though He was perfect and never had to come and die, He gladly took on that storm. The only thing He gained, was us. Yet He did it all, because He decided that it was worth it.
Wow. I sure love Sulmi a lot, but I can't compete with that. Admittedly, I have no idea how many hairs are on her head. I could never know her every thought or every molecule she is made up of. I ran a few yards in the rain to hear from her, but I've never had to face death for her sake. No matter how much I love my girl, God will always love us more. I don't see myself as anything great apart from Him, so it's sometimes crazy to try to fathom His love for me. Don't take that the wrong way, I've known and believed that God loves me for almost four years now. Yet, when it was shown to me in these terms...that it is like my love for Sulmi, except deeper and more perfect...I got it. I can somewhat understand the love of a parent on that level. It makes the fact that God loves me so much more relatable. It makes me want to shout praises and talk to Him for hours. I know what it's like to wait eagerly for communication from your child, and I never again want to make Him wait. My eyes have been opened to appreciate His love in a greater way. If we can love our own children (or sponsored children) as much as we do, how much more does our Father in Heaven love us?
I thank God for giving me these girls as a reminder of His love.
I thank God for giving me these girls as a reminder of His love.
