My Advocate

I recently began volunteering with Child Advocates, an organization located in Indianapolis (called CASA nationwide) that was created to represent and protect the best interest of children who are involved in legal proceedings.

I am a CASA, or Court Appointed Special Advocate.  I am assigned to cases of children who experienced life-threatening abuse or neglect and have been placed in protective custody, such as with a relative or in a foster home.  I contact caseworkers, talk with biological parents, visit foster homes, make sure they are receiving necessary medical care, look out for educational interests and make recommendations in court about where the child should ultimately end up.  I am one of few "constants" in these children's lives.

Simply put, I am there to ensure that the basic needs of the child are met.

I really love what Romans 8 has to say about our very own Advocate.

Verse 26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We don't know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through groans that cannot be expressed in words.  27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's will for us.  28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose for them.  29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

I can declare with full confidence that my basic needs will be met by a God who is guided by the Holy Spirit.  Our Father KNOWS.  He HEARS.  And He DRAWS CLOSE.

John 5:17 says, "My Father is ALWAYS working and so am I."

He doesn't take a break.  He will not leave, forsake, abandon, reject or take away his Spirit from me.

He is CONSTANT.  He is STEADY.  He is NEAR.
                                         He is PROVIDER.  He is HEALER.  He is TEACHER.

Just Grace

Saved by the grace of God.  
It's only through the grace of God that I am here.
But for God's grace...

There are so many things said about grace, so many feelings, thoughts, prayers, beliefs.  If we could only choose ONE characteristic with which to describe our God and only one characteristic could remain of God, I have a feeling people would choose GRACE.  I certainly would think about choosing it.

Grace is unmerited.  Grace is unwarranted.  It's undeserved.

You can't earn it.  You can't repay it.  And you can't get away from it.

I was reading in John 1:14-18 yesterday.
Verse 14 So the Word became human, and made his home among us.  He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.  And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son.  15 John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, "This is the one I was talking about when I said, 'Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me."


16 From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.  17 For the law was given through Moses, but God's unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.  18 No one has ever seen God.  But the one and only Son is himself God and is near to the Father's heart.  He has revealed God to us.

I love the picture of Jesus Christ coming in human form and making his HOME among me.  Jesus makes his home among us, living and walking right beside us, dwelling in our midst.

Then, in verse 16, we have all received one gracious blessing after another.

So often, I think of God extending us grace on the cross through his son, Jesus.  But here's the thing about that act of grace:  it's not the END.

From God's abundance, he extends grace to us again and again.

I need that in my life, don't you?  I need the Lord to draw near to me, pull me close and extend grace to me.  Over and over and over again.