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I scroll through the photos of adopted children. Each one has a caption below it with a message from the parents who chose them. The phrases jump out at me…
“The best gift ever.”
“We are blessed that we could adopt her.”
“She has brought so much joy to our lives.”
I nod in understanding because God brought us our daughter in an unexpected way as well. While every adoption story is different, they all have this in common: Adoption is about choice and celebration, not obligation.
It takes my breath away to think that’s how God sees His relationship with us as well. Ephesians 1:5 says, “God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.”
That last line doesn’t say, “God felt sorry for the poor little sinner so He decided He had to do something for her.” It doesn’t read, “God rolled His eyes and said, ‘Fine, I’ll take her.’” It doesn’t declare, “God made the mistake of picking her and she’s been a burden ever since.’”
No, God wanted us. He pursued us. He delighted in making us His forever.
Can you imagine Him saying the same words about us that those parents did about their children?
“The best gift ever.”
“I’m so blessed that I could adopt them.”
“They have brought so much joy to Me.”
On the days when we fall short, feel like a mess and can’t understand why anyone would love us, it can seem impossible to believe God would see us that way. But His Word says it’s true. “The Lord was pleased to make you his own” {1 Sam. 12:22}
And His affection for us isn’t based on anything we do. Adoption isn’t earned—it’s received. Those kids didn’t win their parents over by being perfect. They weren’t selected because they were the “best” at something. They didn’t get a family as a reward for following all the rules. Adoption is a wild act of grace. It’s saying, “I want you as you are. And I will love you all your life—no matter what.”
I look again at the page with the adoption photos. There’s so much light in the eyes of those parents. So much love in their smiles. They are clearly overjoyed simply by the existence of their children. Can we dare to believe that’s how God feels about us too?
It gave God great pleasure to make us part of His family. And it still does today.
XOXO
Holley Gerth
- If you like this post, you’ll love this book – God’s Heart for You: Embracing Your True Worth as a Woman
- Truth to tweet: “It gave God great pleasure to make us part of His family.” {click to tweet}
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