Adoption - Chosen
I have often thought of the looks that my husband and I get when we tell people how many children we have. "You have 18!", people exclaim. "They can't be all yours!"
Just one time, I would like to respond with, "Well, who's are they, then?" :)
"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the Spirit of bondage again to fear but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself bears witness with our Spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together." Romans 8:14-17
What a beautiful passage of scripture! It's a great reminder that once we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we become His sons and daughters by adoption. He is our "Abba" Father!
Though the Bible does not present explicit legal process or rights and responsibilities demanded for adoption, Old Testament examples abound - Esther, Moses, Ruth, Timothy and even Jesus Christ were all adopted. We are the children of God by adoption just as Jesus was the child of Joseph by adoption.
Adoption is not always done by a relative. There are many times someone else assumes responsibility to care, love, mentor, teach, and protect a fatherless one.
There is no age limit for adoption as there is no age limit for one for receiving by faith, Jesus' offer of forgiveness of sin and His promised salvation. That is just like our Savior to love us and adopt us as His own!
When a we accept Jesus as Savior, the Holy Spirit completes a transaction of adoption on our behalf. We become God's son. He becomes our Abba or "Daddy." As God's adopted ones, we inherit a perfect home with Him.
In the meantime, we have immediate access to Him for comfort, direction, and provision. He adopts us with great pleasure and he will never change His mind about our adoption either!
I look back on the lives of our children before the Lord allowed us to bring them to our home and I am still awed by on the Lord's sovereign snatching them from houses filled with neglect, abuse, anger, hatred and placing them in our home instead.
What a mystery this seems to me! What a great honor and blessing to be chosen to provide a home that these formerly fatherless ones never had!
So, yes we have 18 children and they are ours but ultimately the Lord's. Our family continues to expand even today, with the addition of "Paul", a 15 year old young man!
Our adopting is a gentle reminder to me that God too, never stops the adoption process - but, continually seeks those whom He will save from the coming judgment. This is why Jesus Christ dying for our sins, His resurrection from the tomb and His coming again to establish His kingdom is called, "The Gospel of Good News."
We are hand-picked by God and adopted as His own!
Women what is your calling? Is it adoption? Is it mentoring? Whatever that calling might, be will you consider what the Lord is tugging at your heart about?
"Yet, who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14
Read these words from Steven Curtis Chapman's song, "Something Crazy"...
I know a lady in Uganda, forty kids call her mama. And everybody thought it way crazy. She used to drive a 'beamer, but I've never seen her any happier than she is now.
I've met them all around the world, they're the boys and girls filled up with the love of the Father. And they know it may seem a little strange but, they just smile and say that's alright!
'Cause love puts everything in a different light. And, it's crazy when love gets a hold of you. And, it's crazy things that love will make you do. And, it's crazy but it's true.
You really don't know love at all, 'til it's making you do something crazy, something crazy
Crazy
Crazy when love gets a hold of you
Crazy, crazy
Crazy thing that love will make you do
"My dear Heavenly Father, may we pay attention to what you have called us to do in this crazy world. Help us to look out for others in their time of need. Help us to remember how you have comforted us so we can comfort others and to be prepared in and out of season to do your perfect will! We love you Lord and thank you for choosing us as your adopted ones! In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord... Amen!"
In Him
Elaine
Labels: Elaine Bateman
posted by Anonymous @ 11:01 PM
9 Comments:
Thank you for such an awesome post.
Elaine,
I love your story! I think it is awesome how God has called your family to this. 18 kids, I can't imagine...our lives were turned upside-down with the addition of just one little orphan.
God's heart of adoption is so beautiful, I feel I understand it just a little bit more now. :)
You inspire me!
Sue
That is so beautiful!!! I have a heart for adoption as well. My Daddy adopted me when he married my Mom when I was two. I knew I wanted to adopt when I grew up because I saw how he loved me and wanted to share that love as well. My hubby and I have adopted our little girl from the foster care system (she is 4 and came to us at 9 mos., severely neglected and abused) and we are now in the midst of a private adoption of a 6mos. old girl who's birth I was Blessed to attend and who's birth parents we are now friends with. They could not be more mine - because they were a gift from God Himself!
Adoption truly is a message of the Gospel, my Daddy made me see my Father's love so clearly. I can't wait to see how my girls grow in this love that we give from HIM.
Thank you for sharing!
Wow. Wonderful story and a great spiritual truth. Thanks for sharing.
I think that adoption are marriage are two living metaphors for God's love for us.
"Amen!" We were licensed foster parents when we first were married! Quite an experience. Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com
Elaine,
Your adoption story as well as all of the above stories have me simply sitting in awe! Really. I just smile when I think of how God's heart must be so blessed as He watches each of you take people into your families - just as He did with us. What a testimony! What a true reflection of the Father's love for us. So beautiful! Ladies, you are so very inspiring!
Darnelle
I really loved the part where you talk about how God rescued your kids from homes of neglect, abuse and other negative things and brought them to your home where they can experience God's love. It is really analogous of how God has rescued all of us from some sort of negative thing, whether it be addiction, abuse, loneliness and has adopted us into His family. It reminds me of how important it is as a Christian to be loving and more Christ-like.
Thanks for helping me see God's Love in a new and better way! Someday I pray God will touch my husband's heart about adoption the way He has touched mine....
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