We All Began As Something Else - My Perspective on Adoption

This morning, I am doing something absolutely crazy...I am mailing off our adoption forms. I would be lying if I didn't tell you that I am truly excited about this whole process. As adoption has been at the forefront of my brain as of late, I must admit that I have been amazed at how it appears in the Christian Worldview. The truth is....we all began as something else. Before we came to faith in Christ, we were lost orphans. Now that we are redeemed, we understand that the religion that God loves best is taking care of the very things we once were. How insightful, how merciful, how sovereign is the God that we serve. He called you and me out of darkness, so that we may be used by him to call others out of the same bleak place. One way of doing this is by expanding both our literal and our spiritual families through the power of the gospel. I know this may sound rather stupid coming from someone in seminary, but isn't it amazing how much the gospel can not only transform individuals, but can transform families? First, God makes one unit out of two people, then he allows this unit to expand their joy by bringing in a child. As Christian couples that view themselves in the shadow of the cross and know the wonderful blessing of being image-bearers of God, this new child may look different, may smell different, may even speak a different language, but to them and to me, that does not matter. After all, we are all grafted in to the vine. And really, God calls us to love people, period. But how hard is it to love someone that is exactly like you. So consider this, adopt a child or help someone to adopt. It truly is kingdom work.