ABCS Staff Devotional | October 30, 2023
In my role in foster care, I have learned some important truths. One of these truths is the need to have my heart in the right place and the other truth is sometimes I need to wait on God. First, God has taught me how it can be easy for me to get involved in a ministry like foster care for the appearance of what the ministry can bring. The second important truth that God has taught is that of timing and that sometimes the way I think things should be do not always happen or they do not happen in the timing I was thinking, and I need to wait on God. The first Scripture that God has put on my heart is from Matthew 3. This is a scripture that I have been reading with my children but of course, God has been teaching me through it as well.
“But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore, bear fruit in keeping with repentance; and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore, every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” Matthew 3:7-10
What John is doing with his comments towards the Pharisees and Sadducees is pointing out that while they wanted to appear anxious for the Messiah, they had not been repentant in preparing their hearts for Jesus. The comment is then followed by the tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. This brings the question of the reason for doing what I do in foster care. Am I doing it for appearance or doing it to serve Jesus? This is a question that I had to ask myself about my heart motivation.
The second Scripture comes from a men’s Bible study that I am a part of at church. I have been in a men’s Bible study on Acts. When studying the Book of Acts it is also important to look at parts of the Gospel of Luke.
“And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”” Luke 24:49
After the resurrection, Jesus spent 40 days teaching his disciples before His ascension. He then told them to stay in the city until the Holy Spirit came upon them. From a human perspective it could be easy to just want to get to work on the mission that was provided but that is not what Jesus asked of them. Instead, Jesus asked them to stay there and wait. Many times, I see waiting as hard to do. There are times in foster care where I am in a position of waiting and that can be hard to do but as I am waiting, I need to trust God.
These two things God has been teaching me have been helpful for living out the ABCS Core Values and having a ministry that honors God in all that I do.
– Thomas Linton, Foster Care Licensing Specialist