In December of 1995, my husband and I made the tough decision to stop our four year pursuit of infertility treatments and seek adoption options to start our family. I recall the exact phrase I said to my husband, “There is already a baby boy or girl out there who needs us to be his or her parents.” I began praying that night for God to open up the doors of adoption.
Before I even knew my son really existed, I started loving him. I loved him before I met him. I loved him when I finally did meet him face to face. I continued loving him even when circumstances prevented him from living in my home and he went to live with another family for six months. I still loved him when we were reunited and my love grew for him when he finally started living in my home. For two years, our relationship grew and my love for him grew but he wasn’t really “mine”. Finally, on April 15, 1998, the little baby boy I had grown attached to became MY SON! Forever! My love for him never stopped in fact, it only grew bigger and stronger. Now ten years later, I love him more than ever before.
My adoption story is very similar to that story and one that is actually shared with many people reading this story. Before I was even born in March in the early 60's, someone loved me. He loved me before we met. He loved me when I got older and finally did meet him. He continued loving me even when I chose not to be associated with him and went away for a while. He loved me when we were reunited some years later. I spent time with him getting to know him more and finally, on March 26, 1976, at the age of 12, he adopted me into his family at my request and I became the daughter of the King. God is my adopted father and our love for each other has grown through out my life.
God knew you and loved you even before you were born. He loved you before he met you. He loved you even when you knew about him and chose to go another way. He loves you still today and if you will choose to seek a relationship with him, you too can become a daughter or son of the King. As all adoptions require a choice to be made, you must make the choice to be God’s child, he will not force it upon you. However, I can tell you, as someone who has lived in God’s family for 33 years, there is no better place to be. I have a constant companion to help me through tough times, unconditional love…even when I really screw up, a family history book and teacher to help me make my life better and more meaningful, tons of brothers and sisters to keep me company and give me encouragement, and best of all the assurance of living forever in a perfect place with my adopted Father.
There is always room in my family for more sons and daughters. If you are interested in being part of my adopted family, stop looking in other places for this acceptance and start looking to God. He’s the only one who can make it happen. Best of all, he is waiting for you. He knows you are coming and he loves you very much. Now is a good time to complete your adoption story. Just stop and talk to God and tell him you’re sorry for letting sin take over your life. Ask him to forgive you and rest in his strong arms of love. If you want, I will introduce you to Him.
After you've had time to think about this some more you may have some questions, feel free to email me seekingmoreinfo@gmail.com or leave a comment below. Here are some things God would want you to know about being adopted into his family:
"Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
you formed me in my mother's womb.
I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking!
Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
I worship in adoration—what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
How I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
before I'd even lived one day."
Psalm 139:13-16 (The Message)
"This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.
John 3:16-18 (The Message)
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,”
Romans 3:23-24 (RSV)
“How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He's the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.”
Ephesians 1:4-6 (The Message)
Showing posts with label Romans 3:23-24. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Romans 3:23-24. Show all posts
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009
FORGIVENESS + ______________= PEACE
I shouldn’t be a surprise that writing a book about forgiveness would trigger warfare that requires me to experience first hand both giving and receiving forgiveness. I’m not sure which is worse, giving forgiveness or receiving it. The agony of being wronged, betrayed, mistreated, hurt or violated creates an explosion of emotions that need to be address individually. Ultimately forgiving someone is the bridge that closes the chasm between me and fellowship with God and possibly with that other person.
Equally challenging, at least for me, is receiving forgiveness from someone I have wronged. The thought of hurting someone, especially a friend and loosing their trust, cuts deep into my heart. I tend to punish myself even after making amends. Continuing to beat myself up after being forgiven is the work of the enemy. He loves taking my mistakes and shoving them into my face as a constant reminder of how unworthy I am to do God’s work.
The truth is, I am unworthy to do God’s work, but God doesn’t require me to be worthy. That would be impossible in this lifetime. But God does require me to be open and honest with Him. To be a living and breathing creation that seeks to serve and worship God and to bring the light of truth to the people around me. In order for me to accomplish that goal, I need to accept forgiveness…from people who offer it and especially from God. How do allow that forgiveness to stick and take effect even when I don’t feel worthy? The gift of forgiveness from God, is always accompanied by another gift, one that makes it possible for forgiveness to “stick.”
Grace is the gift of glue that makes forgiveness stick. My friend and pastor recently reminded me of the grace factor. He said, “Our holiness doesn’t hang on what we do right, it hangs on Gods grace and forgiveness for what we do wrong.” I know I’ll never be “good enough” for God, and I’ll make plenty of mistakes, but my ability to “be good” or “not” isn’t what God is interested in. He is interested in my heart’s desire and my decision to receive his grace and forgiveness for “not measuring up”.
What about you? Do you have a hard time accepting the FREE gift of grace and forgiveness from God for the wrong in your life? When you open that first free gift of grace from God, it comes with a personal trainer called the Holy Spirit, who teaches you how to exercise your heart to seek after forgiveness and grace. The absolute best part of using the gift of forgiveness and grace is the radiating peace that pulsates through your body, stimulating the aroma of joy. What a delight to walk in the fragrance of God!
Romans 3:23-24 pretty much sums up my thoughts:
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,"
If you are reading this blog, then God has a gift for you...what's keeping you from opening and accepting His gift? I'd love to hear your story. Leave a comment or send me an email.
Equally challenging, at least for me, is receiving forgiveness from someone I have wronged. The thought of hurting someone, especially a friend and loosing their trust, cuts deep into my heart. I tend to punish myself even after making amends. Continuing to beat myself up after being forgiven is the work of the enemy. He loves taking my mistakes and shoving them into my face as a constant reminder of how unworthy I am to do God’s work.
The truth is, I am unworthy to do God’s work, but God doesn’t require me to be worthy. That would be impossible in this lifetime. But God does require me to be open and honest with Him. To be a living and breathing creation that seeks to serve and worship God and to bring the light of truth to the people around me. In order for me to accomplish that goal, I need to accept forgiveness…from people who offer it and especially from God. How do allow that forgiveness to stick and take effect even when I don’t feel worthy? The gift of forgiveness from God, is always accompanied by another gift, one that makes it possible for forgiveness to “stick.”
Grace is the gift of glue that makes forgiveness stick. My friend and pastor recently reminded me of the grace factor. He said, “Our holiness doesn’t hang on what we do right, it hangs on Gods grace and forgiveness for what we do wrong.” I know I’ll never be “good enough” for God, and I’ll make plenty of mistakes, but my ability to “be good” or “not” isn’t what God is interested in. He is interested in my heart’s desire and my decision to receive his grace and forgiveness for “not measuring up”.
What about you? Do you have a hard time accepting the FREE gift of grace and forgiveness from God for the wrong in your life? When you open that first free gift of grace from God, it comes with a personal trainer called the Holy Spirit, who teaches you how to exercise your heart to seek after forgiveness and grace. The absolute best part of using the gift of forgiveness and grace is the radiating peace that pulsates through your body, stimulating the aroma of joy. What a delight to walk in the fragrance of God!
Romans 3:23-24 pretty much sums up my thoughts:
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,"
If you are reading this blog, then God has a gift for you...what's keeping you from opening and accepting His gift? I'd love to hear your story. Leave a comment or send me an email.
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