What We Gain From What He Gave
Imagine yourself waiting in a doctor’s office. Back home when I have to wait more than one hour or so I begin to grow impatient. Now put yourself in the mindset of an African mama. You get to the clinic at 7 in the morning and you wait amongst 700 or so other mothers, your baby on your back or side. There is no seating, no waiting room, you are outside and there is limited shade. It is hot and there is no water, not even from the bathroom faucet. You wait 2 hours, then 3, then 4, 6, maybe even 9 hours and your name is not called because of the amount of people in front of you and the clinic is closing, so you come back tomorrow. And you wait all over again.
Today we got to visit a clinic in a community where babies are often dumped and abandoned into dumpsters, sewage, and clinic bathrooms.
The community has about 250,000 to 300,000 people living in it and only 2 clinics. Each clinic has 4 doctors at most. That’s about 8 doctors to oversee 300,000 people. The clinic is a very crucial and busy place considering those with HIV/AIDS have to visit the clinic monthly for medicines, moms with babies visit the clinic routinely, and many people come with sicknesses.
We went to one of these clinics to help give a presentation on Impact Baby Rescue and individually talk to mamas and future mamas about our ministry, and how we can provide hope when women think abortion and baby dumping is their only solution.
This morning before heading out to the clinic the Lord led me to read all throughout the Bible about worth and value. Every verse that He led me to had both the words “loved” and “gave” together. God loves us so much that He gave. He gives us His spirit. He gives us joy, peace, contentment, worth, and so much more.
[But most of all, He gave Himself.]
He limited Himself from holy perfection.
The Great I Am, the Creator of all things, limited Himself and put on flesh. He gave Himself for us. He didn’t have to, He chose to. And that is where our value is found. Our value all comes back to what He gave.
After the presentation I met Lucilawile, a young mom of a new baby. I got to learn about her story and her joy of being a mother, but her discontentment in this community. We talked for a while and I was able to give her a small break from holding her baby. After talking for a while, and her assumption that I’m a Christian, she asked me if I had a bible. I pulled it out and she asked if I could read with her. I asked her what she would like to read and she said “Matthew 10:31.” So I opened it up and began to read aloud:
[Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows]
How beautiful is that. Even the hairs of our head are all numbered. We are valued that much by the Father. The birds of the air neither sow nor reap, and yet the Heavenly Father feeds them – provides for them. And are we not of more value than they? God showed me those verses this morning to be able to share our value in Him with Lucilawile, but He also used her to speak to me too.
He’s the great Physician. He doesn’t wait to heal all of those lined up in front of us. He sees us. And He comes to our rescue when we call on Him. We do not grow thirsty or weary when we wait for Him, He satisfies and heals us. He fills us. He sees His children and He longs to provide for us.
And we get the privilege of coming back to Him every day. He walks with us. He’s in us.
He sees you amongst the thousands of others. He sees your needs. He knows the depths of them. You are made uniquely in His image and valued beyond measure. I promise you aren’t unseen.
He’s calling your name.
“A bird is not defined by being grounded but by his ability to fly. Remember this, humans are not defined by their limitations, but by the intentions that I have for them; not by what they seem to be, but by everything it means to be created in My image.”
-The Shack
