As followers of Christ, the day we gave our heart, soul and lives to Jesus, we were baptized and adopted into the family of God. We were adopted into God’s family and given an identity as the sons and daughters of God. Have you every given any thought to what that means, to be a child of God? Our relationship with God, Our Father, goes both ways ; we take the name of God the Father, we are His children, His heirs, and His ambassadors, but He also calls on us to protect and honor His name through our actions, our thoughts, and our words. We are told in the bible “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. We are made new when we are adopted into God’s family.

Ephesian 1:5 (ESV) says ” He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will.

Most all of us know what it means to be adopted. The definition of adopted is made a son or daughter to someone other than the biological parent. To adopt a child is to commit to guide, nurture, and love without end. An adopted child is made a new member of Your family with a new name. He or she is made new in Your family and is raised up as Your child, just as we have been made new through Jesus Christ and have come to the Father, through Him, to be adopted as a child of GOD.

As I am reflecting on the adoption, I wonder how God feels when after being adopted by him, we walk away. I don’t think, I know what it feels like, as a mother of an adopted child who has walked away for his family, his upbringing, and his faith. It is so hard to see our children broken, lost, filled with anger and bitterness, and so hard to watch them searching, wandering through life not really know or remembering that they are loved, they are chosen and they are A Child of God and of earthly parents.

How do you fix something like abandonment and rejection? How does God fix it when we walk away? You can’t turn off the love of a child. God loved us so much. John 3:16 is that reminder of the depth of his love for us. God never gave up on us.

As an earthly parent, do we have that same strength, commitment, and love. Can we stand strong in the face of what our adopted son or daughter might through our way? From my own experience, it is so hurtful when your adopted son forgets that he was chosen, loved, nurtured to be this amazing man who loved God, his family and his friends. What happened to that love and respect, that sense of family? As I look at who he is today, I sometime find myself, Asking God, did I do something wrong? Why is he filled with so much anger and bitterness? Where has all his faith gone? Then in that moment, I know this isn’t mine to fix. It is God’s, God gave me this opportunity to love him, raise him and care for him and God has a perfect plan for him. So I surrendered it all to God. If it is my son’s desire to forget his adoptive family, to walk away. Then God will make a way for us through the pain, disappointment and heartbreak. He will love all of us through this because “Nothing can separate us from the love of Jesus” NOTHING…..

So whether You are adopted in an earthly family or You are adopted into God’s family. Please take time to think about what it means to be a part of a family. When is the last time You called Your mom or dad, when is the last time You went before the Father in Prayer. Do you talk to them? Do you tell them You love them? Do you thank them for every breath you breathe, for the knowledge you have, for the person you are? God is Our Heavenly Father who placed us in the care of an earthly Mother and Father. God’s law commands us to “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. Exodus 20 :12 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.  “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Ephesian 6:1-3

Thank God that no matter where You are in life. Why because He loves You, He forgives You and He is watching over You and because that is what every parent thanks God for every day for their children.

WE ARE ALL CHILDREN OF GOD, ADOPTED INTO THE FAMILY OF GOD.