What is a Gotcha Day?
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| April 10, 2005 |
I, reminded of Paul’s journey trained at the feet of the great Jewish
Rabbi, Gamaliel, who was the first-century
leader in the Jewish Sanhedrin, recognize how he (Paul) dug into Scriptures. To learn more about Gamaliel click this
link: https://www.gotquestions.org/Gamaliel-in-the-Bible.html We know about Paul’s Damascus Road experience
found in Acts 9, and from research, I’ve
learned that it may have taken Paul at least ten years before his ministry
began to take shape. Paul joined Joseph
Barnabas (the encourager) as a ministry apprentice
in the church in Antioch, Syria before receiving an anointing to travel
with resources to the poverty-stricken church in
Jerusalem. During those ten
years, Paul received training for his mission. He wasn’t immediately encouraged to preach or
teach, although he tried in both Damascus and Jerusalem, and then quickly moved for safety to Tarsus where
he was born. The apostle Paul, reviewing Scriptures: The Law and The Prophets, would receive insight (eyes that see and ears that hear) to
discover the mysteries hidden to him.
The fulfillment of prophecies became
the defense he used to teach the Jews on his many journeys. Although rejected by many, Paul, under the
leadership of the Holy Spirit, would
become the ambassador of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles.
I might call my experience of
perusing the Scriptures this week a curiosity; however, God would call it Holy Spirit
guidance. This curiosity, guidance by
the power of the Holy Spirit, caused me to backtrack in Scriptures, the same as
Paul had faithfully done to teach the Jews.
This cross-referencing or backtracking gave me a beautiful gem intended
for my heart this morning. Today we
celebrate fourteen years with our oldest daughter, Gabrielle. It is her ‘gotcha day.’ As I hugged her this
morning before school, she felt so different than the little girl that was laid
in my arms so many years ago. I have
often wondered this question that jumped off the pages of my Bible this
morning, “Can a woman forget her nursing
child that she should have no compassion on the son (daughter) of her womb?” A custom for me each time we arrive on this
date, I pray for Gabrielle’s birth mother wishing that the Holy Spirit would
gain access to her heart providing the opportunity for an amazing reunion for
our daughter when we arrive together in glory.
In this passage, the message directed at the children of Israel,
specifically to the ones residing in Judah, gave them a warning not to make an alliance with Assyria. They were to fully-rely on God. But they, in
disobedience, sought their own way. The consequences of their actions would be
years in captivity. This lesson in disobedience could have been where
my study turned to a personal application; however, ‘My Helper’ had another
thing in mind. Isaiah told these rebels,
“Even these may forget (referring to the
nursing mothers), yet I will not forget you.
Behold I have engraved you on the palm of My hands and your walls are
continually before Me.” God promised a homecoming. I discovered an interesting reference to the “second
Exodus” this morning as I looked at commentaries to clear up some questions
that I had. I found myself posing this
question to God, “Are we now in the third Exodus while we wait for our homecoming
as strangers in a foreign land?”
I find great joy in my heart
that God has granted my husband and I the role of fostering our children
through adoption. We are greatly blessed, but we never forget that
He has entrusted us to raise our daughters for Him. The passage in Isaiah goes on to say, “Who
has borne me these? I was bereaved and
barren, exiled and put away, but who has brought up these? Behold I was left alone; from where have
these come?” (Isaiah 49:21b) I can picture in my mind this great reunion as I
continued to read, “and they shall bring
your sons in their arms, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders” (verse 22). In this passage,
the reference points are Zion (asking the questions) and the children of Israel
(2nd generation) coming back into the city where they have never stepped
foot. Likewise, I can envision this
amazing reunion as future generations from our daughters may someday reunite with the mothers who bore them, but ultimately
with the God who created them.
The pinnacle of this reunion
is “then you will know that I am the
Lord, those who wait for me shall not be put
to shame” (verse 23). Is this image
now engraved in your mind too? Children
in the arms of those who raised them offered
back to the great Creator, the King of kings, and the LORD of Lords, the One
who breathed life into them. For me, this reinforces the great responsibility
that we’ve been given as parents to make sure that our children know the God
who created us. We cannot abandon our
role as parents to make sure that this most vital piece of information escapes
them. There is nothing greater than
knowing Christ our Savior. If we abandon
our ministering role, we have no compassion for our children. Just like Paul who pleaded with both Jews and
Gentiles to come to the LORD and accept His salvation, I find the piece that brought
me to write this article in 2 Corinthians 6:2, ‘For He says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of
salvation I have helped you” (quoting God through Isaiah). “Behold now is the favorable time; behold, now
is the day of salvation” (quoting Paul to the unbelievers in Corinth). Today we celebrate our daughter’s ‘gotcha day,’
but today we can also celebrate our own ‘gotcha days’ as our Father has adopted
us as sons and daughters too. He says to
us, “I will not forget you. Behold I have engraved you on the Palm of My
hands.” (Isaiah 49:16 ESV)
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