Adoption Process

Eighteen years ago, our daughter and son-in-law adopted a child. It was a long, time-consuming, heart wrenching, and costly process. But this boy has been loved, nurtured, abundantly cared for, and supported for these eighteen years. While I don’t know what his life would have been like if he had not been adopted, I know that he has experienced the best possible environment for growth and success.

Ephesians 1:5-6 says, “In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.” We were outside of God’s family, but by His grace He sent His own Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to remove sin’s stain upon us. It is His will, purpose, and grace through which He adopted us into His family. Our Heavenly Father paid a precious price, the sacrifice of His Son, to adopt us into His family. If we will put our trust in Him, He will give us the best possible environment and tools for our growth and fulfillment of His purpose for us.

Dog Returns To Its Vomit

We have all heard the above phrase before and perhaps we have even seen it happen. People are not immune from this sort of practice. The career criminal continues to commit the same crimes. We yield to the same destructive practices over and over. Some people make the same errors in judgment time and again. We become habitual practitioners of bad habits and doing wrong.

Galatians 5:1 says, “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” When we trust in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins, we are set free from the burdens of our sins. We do not have to carry the weight of fear, worry, anxiety, greed, hate, and anger any longer. By the power He gives us, we can live free from these evil chains of destruction.

Door Number 3

Once, I went to a taping of the “Let’s Make a Deal” television show. People were dressed in elaborate costumes in the hope of being selected to vy for big prizes. At the end of the show, a contestant wagered what they had already one to pick one of three doors, hoping for the big prize.

Romans 5:1-2 says, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” The world says that faith in Jesus is foolish. But the truth is that faith opens the door for us to receive God’s grace and peace. God also grants us access to His presence and the hope of glory through faith.

Welcome

Many businesses put out the Welcome Mat for customers. Churches and service organizations say that they welcome people to take part in their services. Welcoming people is just the first stage of hospitality and can be quite self-centered. After all the business wants something from the customers that they welcome and the churches want to help others, but often for self-serving reasons.

Hebrews 13:2 says, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” Hospitality is making others feel welcome, comfortable, and valued. People will come to us if they feel welcomed, but they will stay with us if we make them feel valued. Let’s do more than just welcome others. Let’s help them understand that we value them as Christ has valued us.

Good Samaritan

We are all familiar with the term, “Good Samaritan”, if not the story told by Jesus in Luke 10. This story begins with a man severely beaten and robbed. The robbers leave the man by the side of the road, thinking that he is dead. A priests comes by and sees the man, but passes on the other side of the road. A religious man comes by and does the same, passing on the other side of the road. Then, a man who is despised in the culture, comes by and takes care of the man. Jesus told this story to a lawyer who had asked who is to be considered his neighbor in response to the command to love your neighbor as yourself.

Luke 10:36-37 says, “‘Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?’ He said, ‘The on e who showed him mercy.’ and Jesus said to him, ‘You go, and do likewise.'” This story of the Good Samaritan speaks of two religious leaders who simply pass by a man injured and in need of help. But the culturally despised man stops and takes care of the injured man. Jesus said that this despised person has fulfilled God’s law to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. We have compassion and mercy when the hurt that other people are suffering touches our hearts in a way that moves us to help them.