December 13, 2008
Adopted
Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 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: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Some weeks ago we heard the choir sing at a church meeting. The particular song they sang was about how we are adopted by God. The next day or so I was searching for some photos online and "happened" on a web page that chronicled the adoption of a baby from Kazakhstan by an American couple. It all made me think about the wonder of our adoption into God's family.
The couple who adopted the baby from Kazakhstan wrote a diary online about their experiences. For some time before they were allowed to take her, they could only visit with the little girl in the orphanage. They were only permitted to spend a few hours with her daily, and during those times she was usually in a good humor and enjoyed the games and toys they brought for play.
Once they had full possession of her, though, things changed. They were then responsible for all of her care. They found out that she needed to sleep a lot, and that she was not always happy. Feeding, washing, changing of diapers and so forth were now their responsibility and she was no longer just a "fun" child to spend a little time with each day.
Now, they knew that this would happen since they had adopted a baby girl from this same orphanage some years ago. (In fact, she was with them at the time.) So, they had had previous experience with this and it was not a totally strange event.
One might stop and think about all the possible problems that could occur after adopting a baby like this. There could be possible diseases (genetic of otherwise), personality issues, disabilities, brain damage from drugs or alcohol and more that can crop up later.
In thinking about that, though, consider the beauty of our adoption into God's family. He knows before He ever saves us exactly how we will "turn out." He knows if we will be a "problem child" or not. He knows if there will be "personality issues", illness, disabilities, and everything else there is to know about us. And yet, the wonder is that He gladly adopts us into His family through faith in Jesus Christ!
When we come into God's family, we are "accepted in the beloved" regardless of later problems. And, the Lord, in His foreknowledge, even knows all those things before hand, unlike human parents adopting a baby! What a wonderful blessing! How very kind and merciful our heavenly Father is!
And, for us there is no fear of bondage again. We are the children of God through the adoption which we received. He is not going to change His mind and "send us back" as one family did with a child they had adopted from Russia.
Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 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. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 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.
We are no longer orphans. We are joint heirs with Christ! This is too amazing to fully comprehend!
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
For one reason or another some human parents may be sorry later that they adopted a certain child. But, with God there is no such thing. He not only foreknew us before He chose us to eternal life, He also has the power to conform us to the image of His Son and the justify us and make us what He wants us to be!
2 Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
CA
Nov. 26, 2008
Willing to Give Thanks
Leviticus 22:29 And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the LORD, offer it at your own will.
I read this verse recently in my Bible reading and it stood out to me since Thanksgiving was approaching here in the U.S. There is a tendency now these days to refer to Thanksgiving as "Turkey Day". This shows an attitude of the heart in the people who do so, and I hope that it is a tendency only in the unbelieving. They are not willing to thank God Almighty for His goodness, mercy and grace to all, so they do not want to call the holiday by it's intended name. (Matthew 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.)
The very name 'Thanksgiving" implies an action - the giving of thanks. As the children of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, we should be willing and eager to offer thanksgiving unto our God. As New Testament saints, we should have the will to offer the sacrifice of praise.
Hebrews 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
This Thanksgiving, may we offer at our own will the sacrifice of praise unto the Lord, "the fruit of our lips giving thanks unto his name"!
CA
