FB Note from Oct 29, 2009: My scriptures for 2009: Addendum to Part 6

God led me to this passage on Dec. 29, 2008 and this has been my theme passage for this year. It is especially cool because the chapter begins, "Listen to Me, O islands, And pay attention, you peoples from afar." Hong Kong is an island far away. I feel like this passage was written over 2000 years ago specifically for me! (And yes, I do know it is actually Messianic, so don't bother correcting me with context.)

Isaiah 49:20-23 (New American Standard Bible) [comments in brackets are mine]

The children of whom you were bereaved [I truly felt bereaved of my planned big family] will yet say in your ears, 'The place is too cramped for me; Make room for me that I may live here.' [anyone who has been to my less-than-1000-sqare-foot house can see the relevance]

Then you will say in your heart, 'Who has begotten these for me, Since I have been bereaved of my children, And am barren, an exile and a wanderer? [after Michael's death I truly felt like an exile...in fact my go-to verses for months were Jer. 29:4-7--God's directions to the exiles to Babylon.]

And who has reared these? Behold, I was left alone; From where did these come?' [obviously with adoption the child comes from outside your own body...this is still a mystery to me, but I know Super T is my son, and I have heard from so many other adoptive families about how they all belonged together even though they don't share genetic material.]

Thus says the Lord God, "Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations,[this gives me chills--my child is coming from another nation] And set up My standard to the peoples; And they will bring your sons in their bosom, And your daughters will be carried on their shoulders. [Plurals! Be still my beating heart!] And kings will be your guardians, And their princesses your nurses. [the Hong Kong government has done a wonderful job taking care of Super T] They will bow down to you with their faces to the earth, and lick the dust of your feet; And you will know that I am the Lord; Those who hopefully wait for Me will not be put to shame." [Such encouragement that this truly will come to pass; ALL the glory goes to the LORD!]