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When you have a friend who's a foster parent, it's amazing how foster-care issues take on a new importance for you. You become familiar with related laws, you understand the concerns of the biological and foster parents, you see the value in people (like your foster-parent friend) with giving hearts.

As you grow to love God, His concerns take on new meaning for you. You see how He works for goodness and peace in the world, and you want to be a part of that work. As you experience the compassionate heart of the Father, you become more compassionate. Your prayer life takes on new proportions as you pray for loyalty, love, and peace to come alive in the world. As you see the world through God's eyes, current events give you many reasons to pray. While people may irritate you, when you see them through God's perspective, you can at least pray for them.

You begin to view yourself as part of a larger group—a family, a church, a neighborhood, and a nation. As a representative of that group, you seek God's will, asking Him how you can be more obedient, asking forgiveness for your group's mistakes. You discover reasons to be thankful for how God works in the lives of others here on earth. (See also 2 Samuel 7: 18-29; 2 Kings 19: 14-19; 2 Chronicles 6: 7; Nehemiah 1; Lamentations 5; Matthew 6:5-15; Acts 4:23-31.)

Good Words to Remember:
Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land. Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed. Psalm 85:9, 10

Today's Challenge:
Is your heart for God's concerns growing? If so, how?

Copyright © 2001 by the author or Christianity Today International/Christian Bible Studies.

Bible Studies to Help You Go Deeper