That Is Adoption

The Holy Spirit will give me no rest until we meet together. Check your schedule for January to see if you and I can meet for lunch, my treat.

Last week, I received this text from a friend. Now, I have to take a moment to tell you about this friend, because this is how God works. We met just simply going about our day. She's "from around the way," as we say, and she walks each day as I (try to) do. She shops at some of the same places. She drives some of the same streets. We bump into each other on occasion. We look nothing alike. I know very little of her upbringing or where she worked before we met. We shared our phone numbers because we encourage and pray for one another. She has no idea where I went to school or what sort of books I like to read. We don't know one another's children's names or how many grandchildren the other has. Does she have grandchildren??? But because we share the same Father, however, we are sisters. Because we share the same Father, we are like-minded in the things we pursue. Because we share the same Father, we are of the same character. Because we share the same Father, we love one another. Our Father did that. 

Also last week, a young man we have known for just over a year, became a Murphy. After many, many questions, inspections, and signatures, he is now our son through the process of adoption. The process occurred; it is the permanent and binding legal means by which we take responsibility for him, and he gains our protection and resources. And not to say that is where the legal portion of it ends, but for the most part, the rest is relationship. Our Father at work, again.

The similarities in the adoption process are not lost on me. "Coming to Jesus" or "accepting Jesus into your heart" or any of those euphemisms we use to describe this thing called "eternal life," is all about having a relationship with the Living God. A relationship He designed, initiated, and enables. We are adopted into His family. We are now His heirs. We are called by His name to represent Him wherever we go. Jesus' name is written in His blood right there on the dotted line, so to speak. It is a permanent and binding contract in addition to the love and devotion we experience. And though our signatures are not required (only our hearts), among our Christian brothers and sisters, we feel family in those relationships.  

Over the past year, I have grown to love our young man. He has lived with us as our child. He has called us "Mom and Dad." He has expected from us things like gifts and family vacations and celebrations just as a son would. When we introduce him to friends, he is "our son." But last week, when we stood in that courtroom and the declaration was made, something within me jumped with joy. It was official. Bound together in our hearts and on paper. That is adoption. 

I responded to my sister's text. We will share a meal in January. Together, we will celebrate our Father. We will celebrate the kinship of Christ. We will experience the joy of relationship knowing it was signed and sealed by the only sufficient Savior. Bound together in our hearts and by the seal of the Holy Spirit of the One True God, signed in the blood of His Son. That is adoption.