Getting Charis

Well today we met our new daughter. It was wonderful and overwhelming. She
is an amazing little girl. She is very kind - she shares everything, very
creative - she loves to draw and paint, and she is very brave.

Yesterday Tammy and I visited the forbidden city in Beijing. It was the
most auspicious place I have ever been. Huge on a scale that dwarfs
European castles. The Chinese emperor lived in a palace city where only
women and eunuchs could go. He met the outside world only in the magnificent
and enormous courtyards It was a world of his own making, one of splendor
and decadence isolated from the poverty of most of his people. They existed
to give him privilege and pleasure. He called himself the Son of God of
Heaven and ironically took for himself the sign of the dragon. He had
clouds of incense burning in his honor and sat on a huge golden throne. He
was the son of God on earth and built an overwhelming sense of entitlement.
He took what he wanted, did what he pleased and cared little for the people
under his care. As a leader of people it was difficult for me to be there.

Today, in my prayer time the true Son of God shared with me that His throne
is far greater and more powerful and more auspicious than that of any
Chinese emperor, yet He chooses not to be isolated from the burdens and
cares of His people. He owns all and can demand anything, yet lives to
serve and chooses to accept the least of these as His own royal family. He
accepts poor, dirty, scarred orphan girls as His own daughters. He is mighty
in redemption, regal in mercy and glorious in compassion. This is a king
who could command me to follow but need not because I love Him.

Charis is truly the least of these. She is penniless, physically scarred,
and alone. She is now mine but she has been His all along. He loved her
from the day she was born. She is welcome and even treasured in His
presence. We met her as she was drawing a picture of her new home and
family. Tammy gave her a necklace that has the Chinese symbol for daughter
- she pointed it out to others in the room and pointed to Tammy with a huge
smile. She drew Tammy and I in the next picture near her. In the picture
she had a huge smile. The first day is going well. She loves having a
mommy and a daddy.


Scott