Adoption
“For he chose us in
Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His
sight. In love, He predestined us to be
adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance to His pleasure and
will.” Ephesians 1:4,5
Take the test! What do Moses, Superman, and Cabbage Patch
Kids have in common? Here’s a little
hint…if you are a believer, you can throw your name in as well. Do you give up? As they say on Jeopardy…What is adoption?
All of us recall the
story of Moses’ rescue form the Nile by
Pharoah’s daughter. His mother and
sister, Jochebed and Miriam, set him in a basket in hopes of a miracle. They got one.
Pharoah’s mandate to kill all of the Israelites babies was foiled by his
own daughter’s attachment to the child who would later become a burr in his
saddle…and the rest is Hebrew history.
Superman’s rescue,
while fictitious, has a dramatic flavor as well. His parents, who are from the planet Krypton,
aware of impending destruction, placed him in a capsule which arrived on planet
Earth. While driving in the country, his
“earthling” parents found this abandoned baby and adopted him as their own.
And years ago, the
famed Cabbage Patch dolls won the hearts of countless young girls across the
world. Some of you may still own one
while others are wondering what in the world they are. Uniquely certified as parents, the adolescent
adopters of these dolls got a taste of motherhood at an early age before the
real life experience would occur years later.
Adoption can often be
misinterpreted as something of an unfortunate nature often due to the fact of
circumstances beyond our control. In
many cases, it can bring lingering issue of identity while in other cases as
absolutely natural in every way due to the profound relationships God has
brought. The key is that God has
instilled a deep need to belong so we all desire deep roots.
Interestingly,
adoption is the only type of family God has and His perspective on it is
amazing. It is first class and the
reason Christ came into the world. While
many people have no choice as to what child will arrive and what parents will
steer their future, adoption is all about choice. The way God sees it, if you were adopted, you
were deliberately chosen into that family with all the rights and privileges
that follow.
Ephesians 1:4,5 says, “For he chose us in Him before the
creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love, He predestined us to be adopted as
His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance to His pleasure and will.” Note closely the four words: chose, predestined, pleasure and will. These ideas encapsulate God’s initiating and
passionate heart in adoption. Once were
not part of His family and now we are.
Consider a few of the benefits:
1) Identity (Romans 8:15) We are now known as sons and daughters rather
than slaves
2) Holy Spirit (Romans 8:23) His presence, comfort, and strength for every
need
3) Privileges (Romans 9:4,5) All of the blessings and promises of God’s
family
Adoption places us in
high company…Moses, Superman, and,
yes, even the famous bygone Cabbage Patch doll. But, better yet, it places us into the highest family…the Father, Son and Holy
Spirit. And of course, His power is far
greater than a locomotive.
Terry Risser
Reflections:
1) What concept comes to mind
with adoption for you?
2) How does God’s concept of
adoption make you feel?
Consider reading the Word today:
Copyright 2014- Terry Risser
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