Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me. (Ps. 27:10)
JOHN AND JULIE had been trying to conceive for years but faced disappointment and heartache month after month. They became foster parents in the hope of finding a child to love through the state. When they opened their minds to the possibility of adoption, they discovered that the costs were astronomical, and the stress of waiting began to consume them.
One day a young mom placed her newborn baby in the hands of a firefighter and said, “I need to leave my baby with you.” Under the state’s safe-haven law, she was able to do this with no questions asked. When Julie’s sister heard this story on the news, she called John and Julie and asked, “Can you get that baby?” Within a few days, that little one was in Julie’s arms—and 100 percent her daughter.
The psalmist reminds us that even though a mother and father might forsake their child, the Lord will always receive us and give us the shelter that we need. Twelve years later, John and Julie continue to look for their little girl’s biological parents to convey the love and grace of God to them, and express their gratitude.
Though at times we may feel abandoned, the Lord is always there to comfort us and take us in as one of His own.
Extend the compassion of Christ to someone who feels abandoned.
Doug Schmidt is a freelance writer and editor, and serves on the staff of his church as the director of small groups.
