November is National Adoption Month, for which I am very thankful. There are numerous adoption stories that have blessed my life. My brother-in-law Charlie, who become a true, irreplaceable older brother to me is one. There are many stories in the NewPointe network that are heartwarming and lifechanging. In a great adoption situation, everyone grows and is blessed.
But it’s not easy. Children are candidates for adoption because of the pain and brokenness that broke their original intended family. They bring that pain and brokenness with them, and getting a new home, a new family, and a new name doesn’t erase all that hurt. They bring it with them. In truth, adoption is a journey of continual adjustment, sacrifice, and unconditional love. It has many times of struggle, but it is so worth it. Adoption is a beautiful thing. Giving a child a family means giving them hope, love, and belonging. It gives them a future. That’s what God wants for all of us. Adoption was His idea, and God’s ideas are all good.
The One who created adoption is the One whose heart breaks for the brokenhearted. He is the One who will leave the 99 to find and rescue the one lost sheep. That loving God saw every second of pain, abuse, and loneliness each child has suffered. He sees imperfect people who are willing to be central agents of healing to this child with relentless love. They are willing to help break the cycle of pain.
God loves this idea so much that He uses adoption as a metaphor for humans becoming part of God’s forever family. God takes on the role of a parent when we put our faith in Jesus Christ. He loves us continually, provides, protects, and guides us. We have a new family. We take on new family values, new thinking, and the quality of our character even changes. He prepares a home for us to live with Him and our new family forever.
In biblical times, adoption was common in Roman society. A Roman citizen could decide to adopt a young boy and instantly upon adoption, there was a new father-son relationship. The adopted child had all the rights and privileges of sonship. In the Roman world, a man could disown his biological son, but an adoption was irreversible. But adoption was not common in the Jewish world. A person’s rights and relationships were always based on birth. This is the reason that, if a man died, his brother was supposed to marry the widow. The first son to be born of the new marriage would be legally considered the son of the dead brother so that his family line would continue. A widow never adopted a son to carry on the family name.
Into that kind of culture, God brought the idea of adoption into our relationship with Him. It was shocking and beautiful. Paul states it like this: “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.” Ephesians 1:5 NLT
We are not part of His family by an accident of birth. He saw us, knew us – our past and present – and decided because of His great love to bring us into His great family. He is our Father, a Father with unconditional love and patience. He wants us to enjoy all the privileges of His family here, and then be with Him forever. This is what brings Him great joy!
Let’s not only be thankful for our adoption into His family and all the joy it brings, but let us also pray for those who do not yet know the joy of belonging to our Father. Let us actively invite them into the family. Let us also remember to pray for families who are making the choice to adopt, for children who desperately need a godly home to find one, and for their home to be houses of miracles.