Heirs to the Promise - The Wonder of Adoption

It's a crisp, sunny, eight-degree morning in Northern Michigan and I'm writing from the comfort of a cozy cabin that sits on the crystal clear Manistee River (OK, it's a wonderful cedar house that my buddy Bob calls "The Cabin").   On the floor to my left, in front of the old stone fireplace, sits a most adorable, two year old girl enthusiastically disassembling the Mousetrap game that my sons worked so hard to assemble.  Her name is Maiya (pronounced my-ya)

Maiya is from China.  A year and a half ago she was without a family, lived in a foreign land, and had no one to call "Daddy"  (or "Mamma").  She was born into the world but soon became a ward of the state.  She had no rights and had no inheritance.  But, she wasn't alone in her aloneness.  No, she was alone in the midst of thousands of other lonely, parent-less children.  Then came love from a far away land.

Some one (actually a wonderful couple I know) sacrificed much to bring her home and to give her all the rights of a natural born child.  They gave her a new last name, a new home, new clothes, and daily fed her so that she would grow up strong.  They also disciplined her when she strayed because they loved her.  She received citizenship from her new country and with that citizenship came many new privileges. Such is the beauty of ADOPTION.

From the moment sin came into the world in the Garden of Eden, man became a ward of the state, or more specifically the ward of the world.  Man didn't cease to be God's creation but the bible tells us that we ceased to be his children.  That might not sit well with you and doesn't particularly sit well with me but it is truth none-the-less.  We no longer had rights as children and were no longer heirs to God's promise.  We were born into the world but lost our legal rights.  But like Maiya, we weren't alone in our aloneness.  We were alone with every child born through natural birth; our first birth.  Thankfully, as in Maiya's case, there is the hope of love coming from a far away land, love coming from someone who would sacrifice much for our adoption, love that would reclaim our birthright as children of God.

The Apostle John describes it this way (John 1:12-13):

"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God."

That's the wonder of adoption.  Children become legal heirs with rights, not because of their natural descent but because of the love of another.

Jesus explained it to Nicodemus who was a Jewish leader, a Pharisee.  Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."  Nicodemus, not quite getting it, asked Jesus, "How can a man be born when he is old?  Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"  Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born  of water and the Spirit.  Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit."

You see, Jesus was telling us that our natural birth (the one that was the product of human decision, the product of a fleshly union) wasn't enough to get us into God's kingdom.  Maiya didn't have to enter into her new mother's womb to be born into her new family (thank goodness) but she was adopted through a legal transaction from a higher authority.  In other words, we needed adoption by the power and love of another.  That love comes by God's Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ.  Just as my friends traveled a very long distance and sacrificed much to secure the adoption of their daughter, Jesus came from the comfort of heaven and made the ultimate sacrifice to secure our adoption.  On the cross Jesus paid the price for our adoption and when the transaction was complete he cried out, "It is finished".

The Apostle Paul explained it to the Church (Born Again believers) in Galatia (Galatians 3:26-29):

"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave or free, male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  If you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

Even though many of those to whom Paul was writing were not descendants of Abraham, they became descendants and heirs through faith in Christ and the resultant second birth.

Are you among the lonely?  Are you living without the promise of eternal life?  You see Maiya didn't have to work her way to the United States.  She didn't have to write a check to her new mommy and daddy to cover her travel costs.  She didn't have to do anything except believe.  I can tell you without a shadow of doubt that this beautiful little child believes with all of her heart that the man and woman who put her to bed every night are indeed her parents.  And guess what?  She's right!  Her parents came to her because they loved her and God comes to you for the same reason.  "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

I am so thankful that my friends traveled to China to give this adorable girl a home and I thank Jesus Christ for coming from heaven to give me one.  May God bless you this New Year and if you have been adopted into his family give him thanks today and it you are looking for a love that no one can take away look to the Son in faith and come into the family of God.

Peace,

David