God shares our sadness and hope

Our youngest son Caleb is 4 years old and became brain injured from a sickness in Africa. My wife just called to inform me that her attempt to visit the public library with all the kids lasted five minutes and left her in tears. The visit neurologically distressed Caleb so much that he began throwing an enormous tantrum and destroying the place. Life is like that for us now.

Through the adversity of Caleb's condition, I've learned two important truths about God's heart and they have everything to do with my service for Him.

First, God shares the sadness I feel for my son. That is how He feels when He looks upon the whole of humanity ravaged by sin and Satan.

Second, God shares the great hope and passion I have for Caleb's restoration and assures me that it will not always be like this. That is also how God regards this broken world.

Knowing God's heart toward us is what inspires us to acts of love and self-denial for Him and those He longs to save.

(Shawn Gardner, Executive Director, Turkish World Outreach, February 2011)

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