The Love of Adoption!

1 John 3:1-3 
3 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
 
With over 130 million orphans in the world it is easy to see the need for families who are willing to expand their families through the ministry of adoption. So what stops us? The price tag is one barrier. One adoption group says that it cost an average of $42,337. This is more than what many of us make in a year. Legal fees, travel expenses and other special requirements cause adoption to be out of most of our grasp. There is the barrier of fear. Fear of the process, of our ability to care for a child who has been abandoned, fear of what others will think. Then there is selfishness. We have our lives figured out and bringing a new child into the mix would upset everything. Before you think I am trying to shame you or coerce you into adopting a child, I am not. You must follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in your life and family. But for those who have reached outside of their home to bring a new child into their family through adoption, they have the awesome opportunity to be a picture of God’s Love to the world.
 
The word “behold” in verse 1 means to look at and understand. John wants us to understand God’s love for us with the backdrop of the fact that He has adopted us as sons! I have heard adoptive parents say that they love their “natural” born children because they are born into their family. Then in the same breath they will say that they love their “adoptive” children because they chose to! Each love is inexpressible and beautiful, and each is a picture of God’s Love toward us. One is not greater than the other. But the point I want to make here is that God chose to love us. He loved us before we ever knew Him and showed this love by paying the price of our redemption through the precious blood of His own Son. (Galatians 4:4-5)
 
Do we fully understand what it means to be child of God? John tells us that what we have in store for us is not something that we can fully know this side of heaven – but this one thing we do know; when that day comes and we see our Savior face to face we shall be like Him. With His righteousness, His purity, His love. This thought should give us the desire to live a life that is worthy of His Name. Do I need to know what all of this will look like? No – I just have to stand in Awe of the truth that I am His because He chose me! Then, when that day comes, I will see what it truly means to be a son of God!
 
Today as we ReFocus our hearts and minds on Christ let us consider the truth that we are His! The Adoption that we have in Christ is a beautiful manifestation of God’s love toward us. What are we doing to express His love through our lives to the fatherless of this world?“ It is important to realize we adopt not because we are rescuers. No. We adopt because we are rescued.” — David Platt
 
Jude 27 “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”