Adoption

Last week we celebrated the anniversary of our Adoption Day…the day the court system legally made our 3 oldest children “Fritts children.” I say “legally,” because for 6 months, they had been our children in our hearts and minds…we just needed the court to put that legal stamp on things to make it permanent and unchangeable! What a day of celebration and joy that was! I don’t think I will ever forget the smiles, laughter, or tears of that day.

            Looking back over the twenty-seven years that have followed that day, there is such a mix of emotions that roll over me.  If anyone ever tells you that adoption is easy, turn around and walk away from them because they are not being honest with you. Adoption is incredibly, and at times, overwhelmingly, hard. The kind of hard that can leave you in tears, wondering how you will ever go on. BUT ask me if it is worth it, and I will answer you with a resounding YES!

            Walking this adoption journey has taught me so much about God. You see, earthly adoption gives us a teeny, tiny glimpse into the gospel…into the very heart of God. Ephesians 1:5 says, “In love ⁵ he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will.”

Jesus died on the cross to forgive us our sins. The moment we accepted Jesus’ gift of forgiveness, we were adopted into God’s family. We are a part of the family of God! Let that sink in. We are not adopted because we are good, or because it was easy, or because we are easy to love. We are adopted because God chose us, because he loved us so much that he sent his Son Jesus to die for us.

Sometimes throughout the years, my adopted children would refer back to their years in foster care…something would remind them of that feeling of being unwanted. As their parents, we would constantly remind them that we chose them, that we would always love them, that there was NOTHING that could change their position in our family. Sometimes we as Christians can have a similar problem, we forget our identity in Christ. Instead of seeing ourselves as children of God, we see ourselves as sinners who don’t deserve God’s grace. It is so important to remind ourselves that the heart of the gospel is God’s unconditional love for us. It is that love that adopted us into His family and there is nothing that can change our position in His family! Anytime you feel yourself doubting your place in God’s kingdom, take a minute to remind yourself that you are an adopted child of the Most High God.

 Galatians 4:5-6 “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’”