Adoption

My brother Andrew and his wife Melissa just adopted a beautiful baby boy. We are so excited to have this new addition, Henry Tycho, to our family.   I have been praying for them for the last couple of years that God would grow their family and I praise Him for answering my prayers in such a cool way.  I can’t imagine loving this little guy more if he was genetically related to me.

Melissa and her sister were adopted as infants from Korea.  Her brother was adopted as a newborn through a local agency in Minnesota where they were all raised.  I love how things have come full circle as she and Andrew have adopted this baby through a Chicago-based agency.   Please say a prayer for them as a they start this exciting, exhausting journey called Parenthood.

Did you know that when you choose to trust Christ for salvation and the forgiveness of your sins, you are adopted by God the Father?

“The deepest and strongest foundation of adoption is located not in the act of humans adopting humans, but in God adopting humans. And this act is not part of his ordinary providence in the world; it is at the heart of the gospel.”  John Piper

Those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.  The Spirit you received doesn’t make you slaves. Otherwise you would live in fear again. Instead, the Holy Spirit you received made you God’s adopted child. By the Spirit’s power we call God Abba. Abba means Father. The Spirit himself joins with our spirits. Together they tell us that we are God’s children. Romans 8:14-16 (New International Reader’s Version)

Long ago, even before He made the world, God chose us to be His very own through what Christ would do for us; He decided then to make us holy in His eyes, without a single fault—we who stand before Him covered with his love.  His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into His own family by sending Jesus Christ to die for us. And He did this because He wanted to! Ephesians 1:4-5 (The Living Bible)

It may take you a lifetime to learn this, but God truly is a good Father.  Not sometimes, or once in a while, but always good.  This is not a possible hope but a very sure hope that we have.

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.  2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (NIV)

Everything we have that is good is from Him, whether we acknowledge it to be or not.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.  James 1:17 (NIV)

“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?  If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!  Matthew 7:9-11 (NIV)

I am also so very thankful for the gift God gave us the day after Andrew and Melissa got to pick up baby Henry:  my brother Tony and sister-in-law Angela welcomed my nephew Lucas Anthony into the world!   We are doubly blessed!