The Upper Room Daily Devotionals in Nashville, Tennessee, United States "ADOPTED" for Thursday, 1 September 2016 with Scripture: Galatians 4:1-7

The Upper Room Daily Devotionals in Nashville, Tennessee, United States "ADOPTED" for Thursday, 1 September 2016 with Scripture: Galatians 4:1  What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a minor he is no different from a slave, even though he is the legal owner of the estate; 2 rather, he is subject to guardians and caretakers until the time previously set by his father. 3 So it is with us — when we were “children” we were slaves to the elemental spirits of the universe; 4 but when the appointed time arrived, God sent forth his Son. He was born from a woman, born into a culture in which legalistic perversion of the Torah was the norm, 5 so that he might redeem those in subjection to this legalism and thus enable us to be made God’s sons. 6 Now because you are sons, God has sent forth into our hearts the Spirit of his Son, the Spirit who cries out, “Abba!” (that is, “Dear Father!”). 7 So through God you are no longer a slave but a son, and if you are a son you are also an heir.
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You received a Spirit that shows you are adopted as [God’s] children. With this Spirit we cry, “Abba, Father.”[Romans 8:15 (CEB)]
As part of a Bible lesson, I gave each child a folded slip of paper with a word written on it, indicating how God sees him or her — loved, redeemed, forgiven, valued, and precious, to name a few. As each word was read aloud, the children smiled and occasionally cheered. But the child who received the word adopted was disappointed. “Why did you give me this word?” he asked. “I’d rather have one of the others.” For him, adoption had a negative connotation. But I thought that adoption was the best word because it embodied all the others.
Adoption is a conscious choice to make someone part of a family. It creates a new relationship that entitles the adopted person to all the rights and privileges that belong to a biological child. As believers, we have been adopted into God’s family. God is our parent who protects, loves, forgives, and accepts us. We now carry the family name and will eventually take up residence in God’s house.
From God’s perspective, adoption means we are chosen, accepted, valued, and loved without reservation.
Read more from the author, here.
"More from Esther Bonner"
My mother was adopted, my father was raised by his step father who later adopted him, and several of my cousins were adopted. There have been so many adoptions in fact, that it has become a normal, frequent event right along with marriages and births. Which is probably why I was so surprised by the negative reaction of the student in my Sunday School class.
It got me thinking though about what constitutes a family. I found my answer in a picture I received from a cousin. It was taken at a family reunion and includes 14 people. Eight of those people are not biologically related to the cousin who sent it to me (one is adopted and seven are family through marriage). Six, including me, missed the reunion. Of those, only one is biologically related and it isn't me. This mixture in families is common.
It got me wondering, however, about my biological grandmother. So I began searching the Internet. Weeks later I found not only her name but a picture. What surprised me was after all that time and effort I found myself looking at a total stranger. There were no feelings associated with the person in the photograph.
I do have strong feelings, on the other hand, for the people in my cousin's picture. We are connected through shared experiences both good and bad. We are committed to one another, care deeply for each other (warts and all), and have supported one another through incredibly tough times. Love is the glue that binds us together, not biology.
Obviously biology can be important, but it isn't what matters most. Nor does it offer any guarantees.
Although I am grateful to the woman who carried and gave birth to my mother, I genuinely love and miss the grandmother who took my mother in, raised her, and loved her--and who loved me. Pictures of my grandparents, mother, and my cousins hang in my home. I look at them every day. I have been truly blessed by my adopted family.[Esther Bonner]
The Author: Esther L. Bonner (California, USA)
Thought for the Day: God has chosen me.
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for loving us enough to make us a permanent part of your family. Amen.
Prayer focus: FAMILIES WAITING TO ADOPT
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