Adopted into God's Family...

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.(Ephesians 1:3-6)

God has blessed my wife and I with three beautiful children, but for years now, we have been talking about either fostering or adopting children as well. Recently we have been leaning more toward adoption. A couple weeks ago, my wife was browsing through pictures on a website that features children who are available for adoption. She called me over to the computer and began showing me photos of the children and read to me some of the information on the children's profiles. As I saw the little faces and heard her tell me the stories about them, I became overwhelmed with emotions of sadness. It broke my heart to see all of those children who needed a family to love and care for them.

Many of the children on that particular website have "special needs". There were some who have mental illness, others who have physical handicaps, and almost all of the children have emotional problems because of the terrible situations they have gone through. Some of the children had a combination of all the different problems. Regardless of their situations, each of these children are people who can love and need to be loved. I was moved with even greater compassion for these children who need a home. Now I want to adopt a child more than ever...

I suspect that there are many people who -when looking for a child to adopt- will limit their search only to those children that are "normal". They will look for the child with the "best features". They will search for the "perfect" child. I am sure in many cases, those children who were born with fewer handicaps, or none at all, will be snatched up first. The rest will be left in the system because most people are limited in their resources to care for certain ailments. All of the little faces I saw and the emotions I felt got me to thinking about God's adoption of multitudes of fallen people into His family.

At that moment I began to wonder why He would ever choose to adopt me? Was I smarter than others? Was there anything in me to attract His attention and thus deserve His mercy? What would God want with a wretch like me? I had no less a sin debt than the next man. In fact, my debt may have been even greater! There are plenty of better looking, more intelligent, and more noble human beings He could have chosen to adopt! At that moment I began to rejoice in the fact that though I wasn't the brightest or best: God picked me to be in His family! And that, according to the "good pleasure of His will"! What a humbling truth!

Only selecting the "best of the best" for adoption didn't seem to be God's method of choosing. In fact, the Apostle Paul confirms this in 1 Corinthians 1:26 when he declares, "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:". I think many people interpret this verse as "calling" to ministry, but in its context the verse is speaking of calling unto Salvation! God didn't simply choose out the most noble, mighty, or wise to be adopted into His family!

Though we do see a few mighty, noble, and wise within the family of God, I thank God that in His Grace he mostly chose those of us with "special needs". Contrary to how a human might pick a child for adoption, God went against the grain and chose the chief of sinners (1 Tim 1:15) along with the poor, the blind, the maimed, and the halt (Luke 14:21). Instead of the self-righteous, He chose the harlots and the publicans to be part of His family (Matthew 21:31). Our "handicaps" were no hindrance to God in making us joint-heirs with Christ (Rom 8:17)! I have often heard it said: "God helps those who help themselves", but I am evermore convinced that God helps those who cannot help themselves!

Though I disagree with some of his theology, Charles Stanley has correctly written, "there may be unplanned pregnancies, but there are never unplanned adoptions". Did you get that? Let that sink in for a second or two... Think about it! If you have been adopted into God's family, it was no accident! It was planned! All adoptions are planned adoptions! God has no illegitimate children! All of us who are His children were adopted because He wanted us to be part of His family! He didn't leave anything to chance either. In fact, God has already "signed the paperwork" by inscribing His adopted children's names in the Lamb's of Life before the foundation of the World! (Rev 13:8 b). Rest assured also, God will see that all his elect children make it to the Celestial family reunion that is to come (John 6:37, Jude 24, Revelation 21:3)!

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.(Romans 8:14-17)

Soli Deo Gloria!

Rhett