Undisputed — Over The Family - Friday
Today’s Verse
Ephesians 1:5
God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. (NLT)
I remember standing before the judge. The long courtroom bench with its wood paneling sat high in the courtroom. The judge at the seat banged her gavel and congratulated us. We were the proud parents of an overwhelmed 8-year-old little girl. Her addition to our family completed our family.
I’d love to say it was easy, and that we all lived happily ever after, but the truth is, it was hard, and it got harder before things got better. I thought our youngest would be grateful that, after a long journey, she had a permanent family…a family who chose her.
Instead, it seemed, she mistook the bang of the gavel for a race’s starting pistol because it was the moment she began to test the limits. Instead of appreciation and thankfulness, we were met with challenge after challenge. I struggled with her behavior. Didn’t she realize we loved her? That we had chosen her and wanted her to be a part of our family?
As I prayed, through the circumstances, I realized the striking resemblance between my situation and my relationship with God.
God chose us. He sent his one and only Son to rescue us. When we accept His love and forgiveness, we publicly announce it through baptism. But after that, life doesn’t get easier. In fact, it generally gets harder before it gets better.
Just like my daughter, we question, we push boundaries, and we act out from old wounds and past experiences. And yet, God doesn’t leave us.
He knew what we would be like, yet he still chose us because “this is what he wanted to do and it gave him great pleasure” (Ephesians 1:5).
He finds joy in adopting us into His family, not because we earn it, but because He is a good Father and a loving parent. When you accept the gift of Jesus and get baptized, your adoption into His family is final. No judge’s gavel required.
REFLECTION
Spend time today talking to your Heavenly Father.
If you’ve already been adopted into His family, thank Him for choosing you even when you had nothing to offer. Ask Him to help you love others with the same grace He has given you.
If you’ve not yet made the decision to be adopted into your Heavenly Father’s family, what’s holding you back? If you would like to talk to someone more about this, reach out to someone on our staff at your campus. We would be honored to talk to you about joining the family.
