You see, God has been so good to use His word to encourage and speak to me during this fostering journey. So I felt that God was leading me to this verse to claim it for this Baby. As I prayed about claiming this verse, I read a devotional written by Priscilla Shirer. She wrote about Gideon asking God for a sign to confirm that God really was speaking to Gideon, pointing out that Gideon asked God to do a hard thing regarding the dew and the fleece. Priscilla challenged us to not be afraid to ask God to do a hard thing. So I took on the challenge and asked God to "establish" Baby.
For the past ten months this has been my main prayer for Baby. I thought I understood what this meant. I thought I was praying that Baby would stay and be established in our home. More recently, as it began to look as if Baby would be leaving us, I questioned whether I was ever correct in claiming this verse for him. I guess it also made me more disappointed in God's plan because I had hoped that he would be established and trusted God to do just that.
Baby has been gone for one week, and for several days after he had been gone, I avoided reading my Bible because I hadn't been sleeping well, and I honestly was still disappointed in God's plan. I finally gave in and picked up where I left off in my reading schedule. That was Psalm 90. I read The Message version, and I was encouraged when I read this Psalm. But I still didn't realize I was reading the exact same Psalm that God had led me to months ago. The next day, I read it again because I liked it so much and then decided to read it in the ESV just to see how the words differed. That is when it finally hit me that these were the exact words God wanted me to read back then and now.
Honestly, I still don't get it. I don't know if I keep claiming this verse for Baby, or I keep praying that God established the work of our hands with whatever other kids we will have in our home. However, it is comforting to me that God has led me back to this Psalm as if to confirm that He did lead me there in the beginning and still wants me to cling to His words spoken here. Whatever happens with Baby, I do pray that the love we poured into him will take root and help establish a good foundation for his life. Whatever happens with the next step in our foster parenting journey, I pray that God will establish the work of our hands.
Psalm 90
Lord, you have been our dwelling
place[a]
in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
3 You return man to dust
and say, “Return, O children of man!”[b]
4 For a thousand years in your sight
are but as yesterday when it is past,
or as a watch in the night.
and say, “Return, O children of man!”[b]
4 For a thousand years in your sight
are but as yesterday when it is past,
or as a watch in the night.
5 You sweep them away as with a
flood; they are like a dream,
like grass that is renewed in the morning:
6 in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
in the evening it fades and withers.
like grass that is renewed in the morning:
6 in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
in the evening it fades and withers.
7 For we are brought to an end by your
anger;
by your wrath we are dismayed.
8 You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your presence.
by your wrath we are dismayed.
8 You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your presence.
9 For all our days pass away under your
wrath;
we bring our years to an end like a sigh.
10 The years of our life are seventy,
or even by reason of strength eighty;
yet their span[c] is but toil and trouble;
they are soon gone, and we fly away.
11 Who considers the power of your anger,
and your wrath according to the fear of you?
we bring our years to an end like a sigh.
10 The years of our life are seventy,
or even by reason of strength eighty;
yet their span[c] is but toil and trouble;
they are soon gone, and we fly away.
11 Who considers the power of your anger,
and your wrath according to the fear of you?
12 So teach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom.
13 Return, O Lord! How long?
Have pity on your servants!
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
and for as many years as we have seen evil.
16 Let your work be shown to your servants,
and your glorious power to their children.
17 Let the favor[d] of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish the work of our hands upon us;
yes, establish the work of our hands!
that we may get a heart of wisdom.
13 Return, O Lord! How long?
Have pity on your servants!
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
and for as many years as we have seen evil.
16 Let your work be shown to your servants,
and your glorious power to their children.
17 Let the favor[d] of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish the work of our hands upon us;
yes, establish the work of our hands!
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