Jump Start # 1509

Romans 8:15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received ^[a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

One of my sons and his wife are on a trip to South Korea. This is their second trip within a month. The first trip was business. On this second trip they are bringing home a sweet little boy. They have adopted him. We have not met him yet. I’m about to bust. We’ve seen pictures, but soon we will actually get to see his adorable smile and bright eyes.

Adoptions are new to me. I’ve known many, many couples who have adopted. I’ve made dear friends with a couple that are helping Christian couples adopt. For my son and his wife, this has been a very long process. There is a lot to adopting, especially a foreign child, that I never understood. God bless those couples who have the heart to do this. The concept of adopting has a strong Biblical flavor, as our verse reminds us. There are two sides to adopting. For a young couple, as in our family, they get the joy of having a beautiful child in their home. It will change them forever. But for the child, especially a child from China, Russia, or Korea, it is an occasion to change the eternity for that child. Chances are, if they remained in their native countries, they would have grown up as pagans. They would have missed the joys that are found in a home of Christians. Had they remained, they may have never seen forgiveness, grace and love. They would have never witnessed worship as God designed it. Chances are they may not have known the Lord. My wife and I have been to more than one fund raisers for young Christian couples who were trying to adopt a child. I believe if I wasn’t so old, I would give adopting a serious thought. What a great tool of evangelism. What a wonderful gift.

There is a part of adoption that I do not understand. I get it technically, but I do not get it emotionally. The child that is adopted, was given up by someone. Maybe the mother was too young. Maybe there was economic reasons. But how could someone walk away from a cute innocent child? I am thankful that these mothers did not abort these children. The child is given up. That is such a sad thought. But the sadness turns to joy when a wonderful young couple chooses to adopt. Everything changes. That child is wanted. He is loved at first sight. The adopting couple will go through all kinds of questions and background checks and financial costs to receive that child. It is worth it to them. They’d do it a thousand times again. And one of the grand steps in the process is that the child’s last name changes. He takes on the name of his new family. He is one of them. He is accepted and a part of that family. He is not going away again.

Our verse today, reminds us that we are adopted by God. We were not a part of His family. We were on our own. Unlike most children, we were not very pretty. We had sin in our character and our hearts. We were a mess. Yet God loved us. God accepted us. God gave us His name. His home became our home. Our eternity changed because of what God has done for us. Instead of being without God, we have God. Instead of being hopeless, hope abounds. Instead of being lost, we belong. We are adopted by God.

At the end of our verse we find the expression, “…we cry out, Abba! Father!” That was a common expression in most Jewish homes. It was a term of endearment. It was an expression of love from the child to his daddy. It was very personal, intimate, and genuine. The child belonged. The child was loved. The child was so happy to be in that home. Abba! Father! The expression of our hearts to God.

My son and his wife will be so good to their little boy. They will love him and cherish him. This is what God does to us. The concept of adoption really makes one wonder how in the world could anyone leave God? Why would we run away from God to chase the trinkets that Satan dangles in front of our eyes. Satan’s shallow promises, and unrealistic and false hope only crushes our souls and spirits. We run off to the far country believing that better things are found away from God. We chase money, as if it will bring happiness. We swallow so many pills, thinking that they will be the answer to our misery and worry. We inhale lust and worldliness and bow down to the artificial life of Hollywood and never find what we are looking for. We run from relationship to relationship, believing the next one will be the answer. It won’t be. The world doesn’t love you. The world uses you and takes advantage of you. Satan doesn’t care about you. He will hurt you and abandon you. Have you ever noticed after Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, Satan doesn’t seem to be around. He creates messes, but it is up to God to clean them up. How can we ever leave God? How can we give up one who chose us? How can we close our eyes and ignore the generous blessings of God?

Adoption—when really understood, changes how we see God. The Lord didn’t have to choose us. We were not the cute puppies in a pet store window that God simply couldn’t resist. Not at all. We were dirty, broken and selfish. We have issues. We have problems. We have a past. We have a history with sin. Still, God chose us. God didn’t choose us individually, while excluding others individually. First, that wouldn’t be fair and God is not like that. At the beginning of the school year, a teacher may tell the class that if they get a 3.5 GPA then they will make the honor roll. The teacher doesn’t say which student will make it. It’s open to all of them. Any can do it if they will. The God of Heaven adopts all who will be in Christ. It is open to anyone. They must walk by faith, obey the Lord and make the choices that lead them to Christ. It is those who God adopts.

Chosen by God. Not because we are cute. Not because we sing so nice. But because we are in Christ. God choses Christ. God choses those who are in Christ.

Adopted…what a wonderful word that is. It speaks of love. It speaks of someone wanting another. It speaks of acceptance. It says, you belong to me. I have chosen you!

We welcome Benjamin, our new grandchild into our family. Welcome. You are one of us.

Roger