Riding into work this morning I was thinking about our adoption struggle and the road that has been much longer than we ever expected. Sometimes it seems God hasn't acted when He obviously could have, and it leaves me wondering why.
As I was thinking about these things, God reminded me of the Israelites of Exodus and the plagues God brought through Moses. When they saw the first of the plagues, they might have thought to themselves, this struggle in slavery is finally over, God has come to our rescue! Certainly God could have rescued them at that point, but He hardened Pharaoh's heart so he would not let them go. Another plague came and another and another and still no rescue. Was God just teasing them only to leave them there? He was not. He had a plan to bring himself glory through these plagues and a dramatic rescue.
And what a rescue it was. After the tenth plague, God through Pharaoh finally let them go. But as they were heading home, God sent the entire Egyptian army after them. They felt completely betrayed. God released them from slavery just to have them captured or killed on their way home. What was God doing? He was getting ready to bring himself glory. That was His objective from the beginning when He said, "And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them.” (Exodus 7:5 NKJV)
With an army on their heels, the Israelites couldn't see God was about to bring himself glory. All they could see was a mass of angry men storming toward their way.
And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever."(Exodus 14:13 NKJV)
Soon after Moses said this, God parted the Red Sea and destroyed the Egyptian army. God could have saved them much earlier but He instead chose to maximize His glory by saving His people when it looked hopeless.
I don't know what God has planned for us, but I do know we've thought many times he was about to bring us out of this battle, only to find out about another delay or about the hardened heart of an attorney or a judge. I pray God is multiplying these plagues so that He can burst onto the scene and claim glory for Himself; parting the seas that stand in the way of this adoption!
Lord rescue us! We are watching for your salvation...
