A little girl is brought from the suburban Detroit hospital to a modest new home in St. Joseph County. Her new home! A young couple, who have no children, eagerly awaits their little bundle of joy. They excitedly meet the social worker in the driveway and triumphantly and joyously usher her into the home. After the social worker leaves, they sit next to each other holding this amazing little person in their arms and at that moment know that they would gladly give their life for hers. Later when asked if she ever wanted to find her “real parents” the little girl now a young woman would respond, “these are my real parents; they loved me, and raised me; they are my mom and dad.”

Unfortunately the image of an adopted child in today’s society is not the one pictured in the paragraph above. Now we have open adoptions and adoptive parents sometimes are only seen as caretakers. Adoptive children are seen as incomplete without the knowledge of who their biological parents are. This is a sad fact of modern life. Sad, not only because there are many people who are hurt through this modern form of adoption, but sad because we might miss out on a beautiful picture of what God has done for us.

We are chosen and adopted into His family. We are made co-heirs with Christ and enjoy all the benefits of one naturally born. We are children of the King. There is great power and peace in that thought. Just as the little girl was safe in the arms of her parents that day when she was delivered by the social worker, we too are safe in the sovereign hands of our Heavenly Father who has not only provided us with salvation but with sonship. We are not just hired hands who enjoy the safety of the master, but sons who are welcomed home with love and honor. He rejoices over us and gives us gifts that are beyond our imagination.

We are children of God. We are not illegitimate. We have the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of an heir. We are to be about our Father’s business. We are able to approach the throne boldly. We are allowed to cry Abba, Father, and are heard. For our father, like that young couple long ago, waited for us and ran down the driveway to meet us, regardless of where we came from, and said, “My child is home, he who was lost is found.” He not only was willing to die for us, but did die in our place so that we might fully enjoy our adoption as sons.

Kevin Farmer, Phil Meade, Will Uminn, Dana Arledge