Faithfulness and Joy

While everyone in the U.S. was watching the SuperBowl tonight, I woke up to Oliver’s early morning feeding time here in Germany, vigorously soothed him as mommy came in with a sleepy smile, and of course, once they settled in, picked up my iPod to check facebook for a minute! My heart was immediately delighted by a string of posts that appeared... 

I’ll quickly jump ahead here and say “NO” it wasn’t that the Giants won! I’m not much of a football buff or even a fan, but since I was born into a 12+ generation family of New Englanders, I’m pretty sure that’s where my loyalty should lie. No smile there tonight. 

These were the words that warmed me in the wee hours:

“Truly my mourning has turned into laughter!!!! God has turned the utmost saddest day of our lives into the happiest day of our lives...Ecclesiates 3:4 ‘A time to weep and a time to laugh, A time to mourn and a time to dance.’ Now it is our time to laugh and dance.” 

These were from my school mate and dear friend, Becky Manthai today as her daughter, Susie’s, now-fiance` called to ask for a mother’s blessing as he prepared his surprise marriage proposal.  Yes, Becky was the one to respond...something I know she would never have dreamed of 5 years and 1 day ago.  You see, today is also the 5 year anniversary of her husband, Stephen Manthai’s sudden death in their home. 

As I browsed the smattering of posts both by Becky and Susie this evening, I compared them to ones that I had read earlier in the day...memorial notes and a beautiful blog post by Susie sharing the story of God’s faithfulness to them these past 5-years. 

My precious friend is a widow, her 8 children are single parent “orphans”. They have hung on to God’s promises to care for both. Others have stepped up to follow God’s command throughout scripture...where even from the earliest days with the Israelites, he implored his people to:

“wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds
   out of my sight!
Stop doing wrong,
learn to do right!
Seek justice,
   encourage the oppressed.
Defend the cause of the fatherless,
   plead the case of the widow. (Isaiah 1:16-17)

While many families that I know have adopted children, taken missions trips, given resources for all various charities that provide orphan care and help for the impoverished and oppressed, such as widows, it doesn’t necessarily take stepping that far out of our daily lives to do such a thing. Becky isn’t from a third world country, yet she was left without an income source, the possibility of losing her home. In an instant she became a single parent with a household of grieving children and in need of everything from comfort to companionship and school tuition to food for the table. 

Just so you see how God uses others to provide in ways above and beyond what Becky could have “ever asked or imagined” look at the joy that she has been an example of, especially today. It rests firmly in His faithfulness to her family during their darkest moments. They are a family that will forever make BOTH of their “fathers” proud with their steadfastness in allowing the heavenly one to refine their hearts and lives with such a beautiful testimony.  

Susie wrote: 

“There was a knock on the door, I opened it, and there was a man on his knee with a ring. Stephen and I are engaged. (And I know Daddy is smiling from heaven.)” 

I think both of her “Daddy’s” are standing there overjoyed, the redeemed one and the Redeemer as they laugh together over the wiped tears and beaming faces of this family! 

Susie’s blog post earlier today explains how so many “believers and non-believers” have become God’s provision for them over the years...and how she knows God will continue to provide.

I ask that you stop and remember God’s call to his people and find some way...many ways...every way possible in your current situation to obey His command. He has sacrificed so much for you, an orphan, in order to bring you into His own family...won’t you be willing to do the same for others?

If you are a widow or an orphan reading here today...I encourage you to stand firm in His promises, call upon His name, and He will LISTEN!!

Rejoicing!

- Rebecca