Last month we had a celebration in Longview. Many gathered to celebrate the finalization of an adoption. A little boy, once immersed in the CPS system, is now part of a safe, loving, and forever family.
The picture of spiritual adoption is invoked in Romans 8:15 when Paul writes that we have received the “Spirit of sonship.” The word interpreted in the New International Version of the Bible as “sonship” can also be interpreted as adoption. It is here that the redemptive relationship between God and mankind is depicted as a spiritual adoption.
In Colossians and other places, this thought continues when Paul writes that before we knew God we lived one way, but now we are to be different.
As children of God, we benefit greatly from this spiritual adoption. It is important, however, to realize that in the first century when this letter was written, the primary purpose of adoption was for the benefit of the family.
It was not uncommon for childless couples to adopt a son for the purpose of having someone to bury them, grieve for them, and to carry on the lineage of the family. For today, our application would be that we are spiritually adopted into the family of God in order to carry on the work, name, and lineage of the family.
Want to know what that work looks like? We need not go further than the children and families we are serving at Buckner. We can be sure that by engaging them in their moments of hurt and hopelessness, we are following a model of ministry modeled by Jesus himself.
David Ummel is the administrator of Buckner Children and Family Services in Longview, Texas.
Prayers for the week:
-God, help us always be thankful that you have adopted us as heirs into your kingdom.
-God, thank you for using adoption as a reminder of the loving relationship that you have with us
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