The last couple of weeks we crossed some major hurdles in finalizing Josiah’s adoption. I am more thankful everyday that the Lord has done this work in/ through our family. But as we cross each hurdle, and particularly as we discussed whether (how often, more accurately) we want to do this again, I was reminded of a few things I started to jot down a while back.

We have always known that we would probably adopt one or more children after God closed Christy’s womb. Our view has been that we would open our arms to all the children that the kind, just, and all-wise Sovereign chose to give us. And we knew in the back of our mind, what has become quite clear to us this last year : if we do not want to limit the number of children God brings to us, we shouldn’t seek to limit the means He uses to bring them.

Likewise, in the early days of our marriage/ walk with Christ together we got involved with pro-life activities. We used to tell Mothers that if they would not kill their babies, we would find them a home — always assuming that at some point we might transition from the people telling scared girls this to one of the homes that needed to be found.

** There are 143 million orphans in the world. Half a million in the US. Caring for orphans & widows is the heart of “true religion” (James 1:27). Not big buildings, or outreaches, or deep theological discussions, or even profound prayers.

God declares to Israel :

Then commands them :

Can we who were brought out — as willing strangers –of the far more dark Spiritual Egypt into the glorious light of Spiritual Zion not feel the weight of this admonition more deeply ? God did not merely set up an orphanage for His enemies — us. He did not merely send us a care package & a nice letter — but rather He came across the gulf, and adopted us into His family.

If we, as Christians do not go out in the love of Christ & begin answering the needs of the fatherless, then the Hollywood crowd & the UN will step in & provide their solutions. Not only will we not like the results. Not only will the results be horrible for the children. But, we will rob the world of the opportunity to see true religion and a picture of adoption in Christ.

We have believed we would be called to adopt. However, as we began working our way through our first “adoption journey” we began to read the Carolina Hope Christian Adoption blog, and we began to see the profound theological significance of adoption and how Christians adopting could be a beautiful picture to the world of the adoption of Christians – indeed, of the Gospel itself. Articles like this one by Russell Moore, deeply impacted us – Rude Adoption  Questions & the Gospel

Of particular interest, was this piece by  John Piper in which he lists the similarities between Christian adoption & Christ’s adoption of us.

Pipers “Eight Similarities”

1. Adoption was (for God) and is (for us) costly.
2. Adoption did (for God) and does (for us) involve the legal status of the child.
3. Adoption was blessed and is blessed with God’s pouring out a Spirit of sonship.
4. Adoption was (for God) and is (for us) marked by moral transformation through the Spirit.
5. Adoption brought us, and brings our children, the rights of being heirs of the Father.
6. Adoption was (for God) and is (for us) seriously planned.
7. Adoption was (for God) and often is now (for us) from very bad situations.
8. Adoption meant (for all Christans) and means (for Christian parents) that we suffer now and experience glory later.

However, I would like to take the liberty to add a few, Major Differences Between Christian families adopting and our being Adopted, by Christ
Broadly, Christ’s Adoption of us is sure; when we are doing the adopting, it is anything but.

1) Often times we are, as adopting families, disappointed, let down, surprised, or our plans are otherwise upended by circumstances beyond our controll. Christ is never disappointed, or surprised. His plans are never upended; there is nothing beyond His controll

2) Sometimes, for various reasons, adoptions by Christian families don’t “work out”. There are countless outside factors; there are things that can go wrong — from terrible circumstances & injustices to minor problems. Any of these can de-rail the process of adoption, or even  cause an adoption that has been “completed” to be challenged and even overturned. There is the danger that one day our adopted children will reject us.
However, in Christ’s adoption of us, He is in complete control of the circumstances. Nothing will go wrong that will “derail” or overturn His adoption of us. Even the seemingly terrible circumstances, obstacles, minor inconveniences — even pain — are used by Him perfectly to not only complete our adoption into the Beloved; into His family; but these “bad things” are part of our sanctification.
Unlike the frightening scenario, of an adopted child rejecting his adoptive family, we have the firm promise of Christ and the glorious Covenant of Grace to guarantee is that any who are truly adopted by Him will not ultimately “reject” His adoption.

3) No matter how far along we are in our Spiritual walk/ sanctification, when we as Christian families are adopting we are plagued by doubts: our worthiness of this sort of blessing/ responsibility:;our abilities to do what we believe God is calling us to; and especially we doubt whether or not our motives are pure & what they should be (to bring Glory to God, to love Christ, & to love our neighbors).
Christ, however, has no doubts — nor any reason to. He is absolutely worthy; He is absolutely able; and He is consumed by pure & right motives — namely to glorify Himself, to show love to the Father, etc.

4) The children we adopt are from different circumstances, different “races”, perhaps even different countries, but we are all ultimately from the same family — Adam’s. The gap between the children we adopt and us is very small. We share the same nature. Were it not for the Grace & kind Providence of God, any or all of us could have been born into the same circumstances as the children we adopt. However, we could not change places with the children in need & become destitute or in desperate need, or we would be unable to adopt them.
On the other hand, Christ is from a radically different family & country.  The gap between us & Him is vastly beyond my ability to grasp or describe — much less bridge. There is no way that the pre-incarnate Christ in heaven could have been like us. Yet He became like us in every way — except without sin. Ultimately, He did “change places” with us; He lived in our wretched, sin-cursed circumstances; He took on destitution; He went beyond this in becoming lowly – and through this very thing, He completes the “transaction” for our adoption.

5) Lastly in our adoption we are changed & our children are changed . . . God is not changed by His adoption of us. ONLY we are changed.