His Pleasure

... we were created for His good pleasure...

It's a good thing I've studied the wisdom of Oswald Chambers for years. I needed it yesterday. We were given the approval to come and be with the children and adults living at the Mother Teresa home inKandy - we were also told that there would be strict conditions- no photographs, no videos and enter with an understanding the children are in a severe state.

In his story on Job [Baffled to Fight Better] Mr. Chambers expounds on the complex and profound tragedy that goes unexplaioned in this life.He says most would ask when they are faced with the depth of tragedy, where is God in 'this'? Assuming His absence,when in fact they have come face to face with Him.

And He accepts full responsibility!

Seeing the distorted and disabled , the flies, hearing the whimpers of the severest cases it was hard to accept His responsibility for the state and condition of these most innocent.

God is good?

My encounters across the world with the disabled are quite similar, they are their own culture and spoken language is oftentimes a non-issue. This day in Sri Lanka was no exception. There are typically the reserved, some are frightened (by the overstimulation), and then there are the affectionate enthusiasts. I picture them as my sweet dear Jesus [Matt25]

A grinninig girl jumped up from her seat when I walked through the gates - giggling, smiling, grabbing my hand, grunting her enthusiastic greeting. But here is why I could so easily picture the hand of my Master reaching out to me through her: she walked me around the room and introduced me to her friends, when they were scared or shied away she would reassure them I was okay. She would pat me or hug me and encourage them to do the same. Some were terribly disfigured, diseased hands outreached waiting just to be touched. It was if He was saying :"this one needs you, this one needs to feel accepted, this one needs to be shown my love. Letme you to my friends, those I hold in the hightest esteem!

You might assume they wouldn't (or couldn't) or even shouldn't beentertained by "tricks" and stories - oh but there you would be mistaken. And as for assembling "volunteers" for the stories - theywere eager to come foward and be a part of what was happening up front. They donned the silly hats and props like contestants in a BeautyPagent, and in so many ways they were!

It was His handiwork, that formed them in the mother's womb, that deemed them acceptable, lovely and desirable just as they are. I told the story "The Legend of the Daisy" (about God creating the flowers just for beauty's sake) The "Rose" asks to be important -the "Tulip" wants to be admired but not used - the "Violet" too shy to come out of her "forest of fear". And then there is the "Daisy"enthusiastic with the desire to be scattered abundantly to bring joy and delight to children.

Today, as those perhaps least beautiful by the world's standards, laughed, smiled, took delight in being "chosen" to participate and be "used"...

... my eyes didn't take in the brokeness or the tragedy - in fact before me I saw HIS field of "Daisies".