Adopted by God

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision 

or a husband’s will, but born of God. John 1:12, 13

“You’re going to be a mother tomorrow!” I heard the excitement in my husband’s voice over the phone. After four long years of waiting and praying, the adoption agency called while I was out. They had a baby boy for us.

           

Our lives changed forever. Mourning was replaced by joy, emptiness was replaced by fullness, and our lives took on new purpose. When they laid our son in my arms I knew he was what we had waited for, God’s perfect child for us, placed into our family, not by “natural descent,” but by the will of our Father in heaven.

We brought our son home to great rejoicing. Family and friends couldn’t wait to see him. Twenty-one months later, God blessed us with a daughter by adoption. Like all new parents, we didn’t know much about caring for a baby, but we learned and grew.

As Christians, we are the adopted children of God. In Romans 8, Paul says that “by Him we cry ‘Abba,’ Father. The Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children…co-heirs with Christ…” Our lives change forever, and so must we.

Unlike earthly parents, God knows exactly what His children need and how to give it to them, but baby Christians need to learn a lot of things. For that purpose, God designed the church to reach out to new believers with Bible studies, discipleship groups, one-on-one discipleship, and number one, His Word, the Bible! He has specific experiences and tasks designed for each one of us to mature us, and help us grow into the mature believers He wants us to become.

There is great rejoicing when a new believer enters God’s kingdom. Where do you fit on the growth chart as one newly endowed with the rights of a child of God? Are you nurturing your faith in Christ no matter where you are in your Christian walk?

Pray and seek God’s guidance for what you need today, then trust Him to provide the opportunities and be obedient to accept everything He sends as steps to growth.

© Copyright, July 27, 2012, by Norma Gail Thurston Holtman 

Norma Gail has had a love-affair with words since she first learned to read. She loves the mountains, and enjoys tackling 4x4 trails in her Jeep. She is a former RN and homeschool/soccer mom who loves family

research, history, and Scotland. Her debut contemporary Christian romance, Land of My Dreams, set in Scotland and New Mexico released in April.

Norma has led women’s Bible studies at her church for eighteen years. Her devotionals, poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, and in “The Secret Place.” She has led weekly women’s Bible studies for 18 years. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, FaithWriters, and the New Mexico Christian Novelists. Her website, found at www.normagail.com includes her 2MefromHim weekly devotional, Wandering Wednesdays blog about various subjects, and Fabulous Fridays book reviews.

She lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 37 years. They have two adult children.