Adopted by the Father.

God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

Ephesians 1:5

Like a lot of people I can easily say growing up was tough. I could almost say that I was raised by a pack of wolves but really I was mostly raised by my two older brothers.  Being raised in the country in the seventies and eighties maybe it was more common to let your children do their own thing, at least in my family it was.  We spent most of our days out in the woods, playing war, fighting with each other, sneaking out in the middle of the night to run down a country road, jumping in ditches when cars went by. We had free reign of our days and nights from what it seemed.  Most of these things aren't bad in themselves but with no fatherly example we were just drifting through childhood.  Most of the time my father was absent whether he was home or not and even when he was around he was full of bitter anger.  He lashed out at us in the most unexpected and unpredictable times, we learned to stay away from him as much as possible.  He was essentially a good man with no reference on how to be a father and especially how to deal with kids.  I'm not going to spend much time railing on him or excusing him and myself because of circumstance.  Thankfully today, I have the privilege to say that my father has found Jesus, is focusing on his walk and is a loving grandfather to my kids.


My point is, I did not have a perfect image of a father, like more and more of us today.  I am thankful that God did not give my wife and I children, prior to becoming followers of Jesus.  I was a horribly selfish, conceded, self-serving, self-centered jerk and it got worse when I was drinking.  There would have been no room for diapers, crying, screaming, hugs, bedtime prayers, talks, walks or love.  I am in no way a perfect father now but I am thankful that I have a footing in Jesus and His love.  He is the image I look to when I don't know where to turn on how to act like a father.


I am thankful that God has found me fit for adoption into His family.

"...you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.  Now we call him, “Abba, Father."  For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children."   [Abba=Daddy in Aramaic.]  

Romans 8:15-16

He has adopted us as His own!

I now have the greatest example to look to and believe me I need to look to Him often.  Even putting aside the idea that we can use God the Father as an example on how to be fathers, we can also rejoice that God the Father has taken us in.  That alone is worthy of praise.  If we believe in Jesus, that he has died for us, had been resurrected and ascended to the right hand of the Father, then God has chosen or wanted us to be a part of His family.

"...and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—seeing that we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him."

Romans 8:17

Co-Heirs to the throne!!  Are you serious?!

Brothers, Sisters... if you are not with Jesus yet, is this not motivation enough?!

To be a co-heir to the throne is unfathomable and to think christians previous to me have been keeping this to themselves!  It's the greatest secret un-shouted to the mountain tops!

If we are to suffer in this world there is no better way than with Jesus and a Father in heaven.

"Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.  For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.  Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay."
Romans 8:18-21


"We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us."
Romans 8:23





adopt


a·dopt   [uh-dopt] 
verb (used with object)
1.  to choose or take as one's own; make one's own by selection or assent: to adopt a nickname.
2.  to take and rear (the child of other parents) as one's own child, specifically by a formal legal act.
3.  to take or receive into any kind of new relationship: to adopt a person as a protégé.