Sunday April 25, 2021
I Always Knew I Was Adopted
That has been a hilarious long-running theme in my family. I am so unlike either of my two siblings in just about every area of life. We truly have nothing in common except our parents! I would tell people that my father found me somewhere, brought me home to the family and said, “We have to raise her.” He really didn’t and I’m really not adopted…but it’s been a standing joke in the family.
Adoption is the act of God that places a believer in His family. The believer is born into the family of God as a child who needs to grow and develop. His position is one of privilege and his promise is one of grace. Paul uses the term Abba, “daddy,” to depict the intimacy of that relationship. It is the same title Jesus used when asking God to “remove the cup” of the cross (Mk.14:36).
What an awesome God, that He would choose to adopt us as His own…with all the privilege, position and promise of that relationship. When we are born into the family of God, we are received as children in need of growth and development. It is in this family that we are nurtured and loved to maturity through the Spirit of grace and mercy. Only those who are led by the Spirit can be called the children of God.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. (Rom.8:14)
Some say that God is the father of all men. But that is not true. God is the Creator and lover of all, but He is Father only of those who come to Him through the leading of the Holy Spirit. To receive the right to become a child of God, we must also believe in His Son, Jesus. We must receive Jesus into our hearts by faith…this is what is meant by receive.
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name (Jesus). (Jn.1:12)
And oh, what love there is in this family!! A love unspeakable. A love unbreakable. A love unsearchable!
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. (1 Jn.3:1) (See WORD WISDOM for a deeper study of called)
That love is full of blessing. Throughout the scriptures, the Father is pictured as the Giver of amazing things:
- Compassion (Ps.103:13)
- The Holy Spirit (Lk.11:13)
- Rewards (Matt.6:4)
- Wisdom and revelation (Eph.1:17)
- Good gifts (Jas.1:17)
- True Bread (Jn.6:32)
- Mercies (2 Cor.1:3)
And as Father, He not only gives to us, He is for us! He is the One who forgives sins and restores us. He is the One who knows what we need even before we ask. He is the One who bought us. And as our Father, He is the Potter who forms us.
Sometimes when we pray we begin with “Our Father…” Next time try beginning with “My Father.” That’s the great joy of being adopted!
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will. (Eph.1:3-5)
