Adoption

“…He predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will” Eph 1:5 ESV

Through Jesus Christ, His birth, life, death, resurrection, ascension and ultimate return has enabled us to become a part of God’s family. 

We so often overlook this fact that God has adopted us and made us a part of His family. Paul puts it this way in…

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” Gal 4:4-6

We are all separated from God because of sin and are all, therefore, orphans. We are all children without a father, our heavenly Father. Jesus, though, gives us this good news in John 14:18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you”

Going through the trials that this life can sometimes bring, we have a Father who knows, who cares, who picks us up and dusts us off. He enables us to carry on. Knowing we have a Father who cares and loves us deeply brings great reassurance. 

We come to this Father through Jesus Christ. Jesus said in John 14:6 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

He is the channel, the means by which we get to the Father. When we believe in our hearts what the Bible declares Jesus to be and what He has done two things happen. 1. We have access to the Father. 2. He adopts us into the family because we have been reconciled, which is something we looked at in the last blog. 

When we chose Jesus the Father choses us and gives us the Holy Spirit into our hearts. Adoption is the taking and treating a stranger as one's own child. What a wonderful thing! Take a moment to let that sink in. 

Paul reminds us in Romans 8:15

“For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

I know of children who have been adopted and they call the person who adopted them, Dad. For many of them they have known no other Dad in their lives. For others they have had horrific experiences of a dad. Finally they arrive into a family that loves and cares for them. 

For all of us we were or are outside of God’s family and biblically speaking enemies of God and slaves of sin. But when we realize and come to our senses about Jesus Christ an incredible thing happens, adoption into the family. 

We can go to Abba Dad when we are in trouble when we feel like giving up. I have found great comfort in that, during what has been a time of great trial for me and my family.

Our earthly fathers may forsake us, may fail us, but our heavenly Father will never leave nor forsake and will certainly not fail us. Our present trials may make it seem like He has. But we have to hold onto the promises we find in His word. 

“No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Joshua 1:5 

When we become part of God’s family He stands with us and fights for us just like He did with Joshua. In our suffering He is the One we can trust to help us through those darkest moments. He stands with us in the valley and sometimes that valley can seem like a lifetime. No matter how long it is our Father will be there even if at times he doesn’t seem to be there. I speak from experience as I often don’t feel His presence but His promises remain. 

We thank God for making this possible by sending Jesus into the world so that the wonderful thing of adoption could happen. 

Prayer: Father, we thank You that You sent Jesus to open up the way for us to become a part of Your family. Thank You that You are always there for us in good and bad times. Thank You for choosing us to be adopted when we received You. Amen