Adopted

You would think it would be great to know you are adopted, right?

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory. - Ephesians 1:3-14

Paul tells us that through Jesus we gain adoption as children of God, and that sounds good.

But weren't we God's children already?

In Exodus, God's children are the members of the nation of Israel, so when Paul began speaking to others, not born into the family, so to speak, he knew they were not considered children of God.

The good news he was sharing with them is that Christ opened the door to them and offered them the ability to join the family.

For many who are adopted, the desire is to know their original family.  They may feel abandoned and unloved.

Knowing the adopted family loves them is wonderful, but there may still be a longing for what was lost.

To be adopted by God as an added grace.  

While we may not have been abandoned, we are called into the fold to be loved and become heirs to God's kingdom.

What greater love is there than to become one's child?

So, the message for us is one of love.  And while we may not feel the loss a child may feel is offered up for adoption, we can know the love of one being accepted into God's kingdom.

More to come...