HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO AN ADOPTION CEREMONY? I hadn’t until recently. My wife and I were invited to be a part of a worship service in which a man and his wife formally acknowledged the part that God played in the adoption process that culminated in a ritual before family and friends. Prayers were said, a unity candle was lit by both the parents and the two young girls that were adopted. A minister gave a brief devotional and then introduced the new family. It was beautiful! I was thrilled to witness the event!
One of the girls offered a prayer and as she did so, there was not a dry eye in the sanctuary. You could see the excitement and pride in the faces of the new mom and dad as they held the girl’s on their laps for the benediction.
This whole scene reminded me of a story about a teacher named Debbie Moon whose first graders were discussing a picture of a family. One little boy in the picture had a different hair color than the other members. One of her students suggested that he was adopted. A little girl said, "I know all about adoption, I was adopted." "What does it mean to be adopted?" asked another child. "It means", said the girl, "that you grew in your mommy's heart instead of her tummy!"
National Geographic had a special on television some time back, called “China’s Lost Girls.” It described the “one child per family law” that has led to the abandonment of countless baby girls. They also reported on the growing number of American families who want one of those little girls, who otherwise would spend a good deal of their lives in an orphanage.
This set me to thinking about my pilgrimage. I was not an orphan physically, but I have been a spiritual orphan---without the love that my soul was made for. We are, in the Bible’s words, “created by God and for God” (Colossians 1:16). He wants to be our “Heavenly Father.” But we’re also told that our sins have erected a wall between us. We are spiritual orphans.
Back to “China’s Lost Girls.” Just think of the extremes that many people go to in order to take those Chinese girls. The time, energy, and cost involved are great. These precious little ones have no doubt felt abandoned, rejected, excluded, and betrayed. And yet some Americans, who live thousands of miles away, felt compassion for them. They went a long way to bring these little girls into their families. God also went a long way to bring us into His—all the way from heaven to Calvary, so that we could be adopted into His forever family. He paid the ultimate price. So, in John 14:18, we read of Jesus as He makes this awesome promise: “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” And He has. Each time someone is rescued from a spiritual orphanage and begins to feel a sense of acceptance and belonging, could it be that there is an “adoption celebration” that takes place in heaven? They get a new name, a new family, a new inheritance, and a new home. I think that’s cause for celebration!
Whatever you do, don’t be a spiritual orphan; the Father’s arms are open and they’re waiting for you. He loves you. He wants you. Come to Him and you’ll never be lonely again.
One of the girls offered a prayer and as she did so, there was not a dry eye in the sanctuary. You could see the excitement and pride in the faces of the new mom and dad as they held the girl’s on their laps for the benediction.
This whole scene reminded me of a story about a teacher named Debbie Moon whose first graders were discussing a picture of a family. One little boy in the picture had a different hair color than the other members. One of her students suggested that he was adopted. A little girl said, "I know all about adoption, I was adopted." "What does it mean to be adopted?" asked another child. "It means", said the girl, "that you grew in your mommy's heart instead of her tummy!"
National Geographic had a special on television some time back, called “China’s Lost Girls.” It described the “one child per family law” that has led to the abandonment of countless baby girls. They also reported on the growing number of American families who want one of those little girls, who otherwise would spend a good deal of their lives in an orphanage.
This set me to thinking about my pilgrimage. I was not an orphan physically, but I have been a spiritual orphan---without the love that my soul was made for. We are, in the Bible’s words, “created by God and for God” (Colossians 1:16). He wants to be our “Heavenly Father.” But we’re also told that our sins have erected a wall between us. We are spiritual orphans.
Back to “China’s Lost Girls.” Just think of the extremes that many people go to in order to take those Chinese girls. The time, energy, and cost involved are great. These precious little ones have no doubt felt abandoned, rejected, excluded, and betrayed. And yet some Americans, who live thousands of miles away, felt compassion for them. They went a long way to bring these little girls into their families. God also went a long way to bring us into His—all the way from heaven to Calvary, so that we could be adopted into His forever family. He paid the ultimate price. So, in John 14:18, we read of Jesus as He makes this awesome promise: “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” And He has. Each time someone is rescued from a spiritual orphanage and begins to feel a sense of acceptance and belonging, could it be that there is an “adoption celebration” that takes place in heaven? They get a new name, a new family, a new inheritance, and a new home. I think that’s cause for celebration!
Whatever you do, don’t be a spiritual orphan; the Father’s arms are open and they’re waiting for you. He loves you. He wants you. Come to Him and you’ll never be lonely again.
posted by kazookid | 12:34 PM
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