Friday, June 6, 2014

Orphaned to Adopted - In More Ways Than One

Those who know me know that I am not an orphan, but adopted. I was adopted by my parents when I was five days old. I have known no other parents than the ones I have been blessed with. People often ask if I want to find my birth mother/parents. My answer is always the same: I would like to have my health history, but I don't want to meet my real parents. I feel they loved me enough to give me to parents who could and have loved me, cared for me and probably, even spoiled me. (I'm an only child.) God has blessed my husband and I with two beautiful children who are loved beyond all measure, but if we weren't able to have children we would have adopted.

I am currently participating in Proverbs 31 Ministries Online Bible Study Limitless Life by Derwin Gray. The Bible verse we are marinating on this week comes from Ephesians 2:10 (NLT) - "For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." I wrote this on the chalkboard in the entryway where my family goes in and out of at least 65,000 times a day (OK, that is an exaggeration. It just feels like that many!). My kids noticed it right away because the board no longer said "Happy Easter!" and reminded me we still have some Easter things out. I like this verse a lot and will probably verse map it over the weekend, but there was another verse that Pastor Gray used in Chapter Four that spoke volumes to me.

God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.  Ephesians 1:5-6 
Wow! God knew in advance, before I was born or even a twinkling in my birth mother's eyes, that he wanted me! He adopted me into his family through Jesus! Without learning about Jesus from my adopted family (I consider them my REAL family.), going to church, going into ministry as a career path, I would be an orphan! Praise be to God that I am adopted twice over!!

Not only that, God wanted me to be a part of his family and it gave him great pleasure! I am sure there are times that the choices I make in my words and actions disappoint my Abba, but I know that I am forgiven! He takes the messes I make and turns them into masterpieces.

The best part is knowing I am loved by my family and by my heavenly Father. There is nothing better than the unconditional love I receive from them.

 See how very much our heavenly Father loves us, for he allows us to be called his children—think of it—and we reallyare! But since most people don’t know God, naturally they don’t understand that we are his children. 1 John 3:1 (TLB)