While I prepare to go to bed tonight, my sister is waking up in a hotel room in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with her newly adopted daughter. On January 3, 2011, baby Seble became part of our family in the eyes of the United States of America. And that was the best thing to wake up to this morning. I got to see pictures of my niece, and see her in full custody of my sister, brother-in-law and mom. That is a beautiful thing.
Anyone who knows me long enough or has enough conversations with me will learn that I am a huge fan of adoption. I am a pro-life, pro-adoption nut- well, not in a bomb-a-clinic sort of way, but passionate. And I will tell you why because I am so thankful to my Heavenly Father for these reasons...
First, one of the defining things about myself is that I am adopted. I have a built-in definition of family that is not based on blood, but commitment and love. That is an amazing gift. And it is an honor that God chose to choose me for that. I am humbled at His supreme sovereignty and grace to place me in the family that I am in. Every adopted child has a story, and every story is special for it is written by God.
Second, adoption is very important in understanding the gospel. To understand what it means to be redeemed, and brought into the family of God through nothing that you have done on your own is an absolutely essential doctrine. Doctrine isn't all that popular sometimes, but knowing these things and understanding them is so so so important. On this truth, we must stand. If you are in Christ, you belong to Him. You are adopted. What a precious gift to be adopted twice!
Third, we need adoption. Our world is made better one adoption at a time. Many lives are saved through adoption. My niece Seble is no exception. She literally has been saved because she was taken into the right orphanage at the right time, and was referred to the right people to be part of a family. If all those things didn't fall into place, the little four-pound baby found behind the gate of a church would have died. Countless children adopted out of the foster care system are saved from a life without family. The number one cure for homelessness isn't money, but a family. Because there are childless parents, a woman can have the courage to choose life. We need adoption because adoption changes lives.
I could go on, but I won't. I have to go to bed, and frankly, I have a whole year to write about whatever I want and thank the Lord for adoption. Tonight I praise God the work of Christ on the cross. I am thankful that it is through his sacrifice that I am adopted as a child of the Most High. I am thankful that He worked in life to save me from a choice that birth mother could have made and I was given life. I was placed in a family that loves me and where I was able to hear the Good News. I am thankful that my family has grown one member bigger today through adoption.
Welcome to the family, Seble. I'll see you soon, dear one. We have some bonding to do!
No comments:
Post a Comment