I believe I have been adopted by God into His family, not by genetics nor something particularly winsome about me, but because of His great love. We have been made to image Him, and part of that imaging to the world is the same kind of lavish, unmerited, unreasonable love for others as we have been loved by Him.
This kind of love for others isn't convenient or comfortable. It rarely wins us prizes or earns us more money. Its usually messy and not reciprocated to the degree we feel entitled, but that too is how God loves us. He doesn't need something from us, nor is He loving us for His own validation. He loves because it is who He is. We love, not because it is who we are, because it isn't (yet), but because it is who He is. We love because He first loved us.
It is with this belief that Terrell and I begin the journey of adopting our next family member. We believe the Kingdom of God is made up of every tongue, tribe and nation and we'd like our family to be a little taste of that reality even now. Our family as those adopted through the person and work of Jesus is not based on eye color or common talents and interests. Its made up of many "body parts" working together to image far better than we can do as individuals.
Are we scared? How could we not be? Can I handle this? Of course not. But He can and He will. If its anything like trying to sell our condo in the worst real estate market in ever, this too will probably be a very long process involving a lot of waiting. I hate waiting. From what I've read of the experiences of others, it will be gut wrenching at times, but life-giving nonetheless.
So where is our child now? We don't know yet. In a womb in Uganda or alone in a little crib? How will we pay for it? We have no idea. But God doesn't need for us to figure it out, work it all out, sort it all out. He has done it, He will do it...and all as much for our hearts to genuinely trust Him more than they do right now and to believe that He is God and we are not. Oh how my fears expose that I think myself still an orphan, left to make it on my own. I'm so excited to begin to learn what it means to be deeply secure in His all the time, unconditional, gracious, merciful, loving, good Fatherhood.
4 weeks ago
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4 comments:
I love that you said, "Can I handle it" "No, but God can!" This is what people do not understand, we are not doing this because it will be easy, but we are hoping God will redeem us and we will know him more fully. I love your blog! So encouraging and straight from God's heart. I look forward to reading your book someday! :)
I can't wait to one day, just maybe, get it published? Know any publishers? :)
Jane! wow..im so excited for you that you are about to embark on the adoption journey! It is a long but beautiful one. Neema and I are still in process but I have never felt closer to God and He has blessed me with this most precious gift. I will be sure to follow along with your story. Congrats!! <><Heath DuPree
Heath! I haven't seen you since old STS days...what fun to reconnect through Africa! Its so exciting to see this movement through God's body that none of us would ever have dreamed years ago. I'm excited to see more and more of the body of Christ looking on earth as it is in heaven!
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