ADOPTION “A wonderful act of love”

God is a “personal” God!   That is just the truth that our hearts, minds and wills need to accept, enjoy and live out in our lives.  It will directly affect how we look at ourselves and others.   It also affects how we look at things around us.  

My journey in life has shown me and continues to show me that “things” are just that…..things.   And more importantly people are “people”……real human beings that most of the time have no idea that God created each of them, in His image.  Each person on this earth, and that means YOU, bear His image on how you were designed.   No, that doesn’t mean we are perfect, but God gave you a “living soul” which is the real you.  Your mind, heart, will and emotions. 

Then dressed around the real you, your soul, you were given a body.  You and I are NOT MISTAKES!   Psalm 139 expounds that announcement.   Your personality, visual appearance, abilities and inabilities were all of His creation.  His design of you and me doesn’t mean that our bodies are just the way we’d like them, but they are as He intended.   

So in reality, we shouldn’t ever “compare ourselves” with anyone else.   We are a “unique design” just as we are.  Yes, there will be people who we may see as smarter, taller, more talented, prettier or more handsome, larger or smaller than us, but that doesn’t matter one bit to God. 

When I began to live that out in my life, many inner attitudes began to take a different direction.   I began to enjoy “who” God made me to be.  If He wanted two of me, He would have designed two, but He didn’t.  And so with “you,” He created just “one precious you.”    And He yearns that you be you…….you are the only one most qualified to be you!  

He “designed” each of us in our mother’s womb for His special love and purposes in our lives.  For the first twenty three years, I had no knowledge of that truth. 

I began in a woman’s womb for nine months and then was transferred from one home to another.  After two years of travel, my “real Mom” appeared in an adoption agency and within weeks, I was introduced, accepted and granted all the privileges of my new home, my new family.

This event is called ADOPTION.   It’s a wonderful expression of love, acceptance and a beautiful validation of the one requesting the adoption.  In a phrase, it means “you were wanted.”   You didn’t just happen to land in a family vicariously, but you were “desired” to be in a family.  You never earned or performed great things in such a way to be adopted, but you were “lovingly chosen.”  You were the loving yearning of someone else.  

Some people feel they planned their family…..but trust me, regardless of our human plans, God is the One who creates the little ones in our families, whether you arrived by your birth-mother’s womb, or if you were brought into this world through one womb and then into the heart of another woman.     

Whatever your young travels have been, “your Creator was behind the scenes weaving the tapestry of your life.    Many times people never see and realize this fact, but God works all the time in peoples’ lives to introduce them to “their own need” of a “relationship with Jesus Christ.”   Jesus Christ is GOD, with skin on and He came to this earth to set things right between the heart and soul of each of us.   That means He died for all our sins….all our wrong behavior, thoughts, attitudes that were offensive to His perfection and holiness.  He took the punishment of “yours and my sin” deserved.   Forgiveness is now available to anyone and everyone, if they choose to believe this Divine act of love and His offer of forgiveness.   It’s the BEST GIFT anyone could receive.

When we “accept these truths” and believe (that Jesus did it all for us…to make us right with God), and ask Jesus to be “our personal Saviour” we are immediately in God’s family.   THAT’S ADOPTION.

It’s not a human adoption, but a “Divine Adoption” that changes the course of our lives, both here on earth and the moment we leave this earth in death.   The “real us” (our souls) continue to live…..but there are two destination options for us…..heaven or hell.    And our decision to receive or reject Christ’s offer of salvation/forgiveness determines our forever home.   All these transactions of choice are given and determined before our death, not afterwards.  There are no choices after we breathe our last here on earth.

This adoption theme and opportunity is before each person on earth.  What have “you chosen for yourself?”  

My story began many years ago, but just recently God reminded me of a beautiful thing.   It was a Sunday morning and the pastor was speaking about adoption and our new identity in Christ.   My ears perked up and I was anxious to hear what he might be sharing about this tender and precious topic.

Even before the pastor appeared, a live illustration began to formulate in the seats in front of me.   My eyes just happen to look over at an adorable scene of a Grandpa sitting next to his two year old granddaughter.   She wasn’t making a sound, but what seemed so precious was that she was snuggled up next to her Grandpa.  His big arm was around her, just holding her close.

Another aspect of this moment was that no one was talking.  The little girl was just stroking her Grandpa’s hand and every once in a while, she’d look up to him, with no words.    I sat in the row just behind them observing this lovely expression of love.   Tears began to form in my eyes as I thought to myself, isn’t this the picture of what God longs to do in our lives……………JUST BE WITH US…….LOVING US.

I could hardly hold back the tears.  This loving stance between the Grandpa and granddaughter lasted about 10 minutes.  I was awestruck.  The pastor began his teaching about “Divine adoption” and felt my heart glued in place, absorbing every word of encouragement.

Often I would glance over at the precious scene in front me and my heart was melting all over again.  For you see, in our family, my sister and I were both adopted.   So naturally my sister Susan came to mind.

After the service was over and everyone was parading out of the sanctuary, I turned around to introduce myself to the two women behind who were sitting behind me.  I had never seen them before and thought perhaps they were visiting.  This was actually their first time visiting our church. 

They were very welcoming to me and it was a joy to say hello and help them feel welcomed.  When I asked the first gal her name, she said it was Dianne.  She then introduced her sister Susie.   My heart was so taken by their names for you see, my sister’s name is Susie and mine is Dianne.  

That morning it felt like God came up-close-and-personal to encourage my heart by assuring me that He knew our names and He knows where we are in our hearts and lives.   The encouragement from God that morning began with the pastor’s message, then proceeded into the visual illustration of the two year old little girl.   My sister and I were both adopted at two!   

I thought it was wonderful how God showed me again, that He is profoundly aware of our families and concerns and is working in all of our lives.  And Susie, if you ever reading this story, just know that I love you more than you’ll ever know and am thrilled that you and I became family…..through the Sovereign hand and heart of God.

Isn’t this a lovely photo of what warmed my heart that Sunday morning. 

 ‘But more importantly, it’s a reminder to me, and to you, to take time to just “sit with your Heavenly Father” and allow His presence to refresh you in every way.  Sometimes there will be words, and at other times, just silence……a lovely, peace-filled silence.

Who we think we are plays a massive role in how we actually live our lives.  We act and live out of our identity.”