“14For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17and if children, then( heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”
Southbrook has a lot of qualities that really mark it out as a unique and very special place. One of those is the spirit of adoption that has always been a part of our DNA. This is a natural (or should be) for churches if you think about it. Our God is a God of adoption. He adopts all those who trust in His Son, Jesus Christ. Isn’t that incredible?! Sons and daughters of the living God—just because!
But what if it wasn’t, “just because?”
Could you imagine prospective parents saying, “We’d like to adopt little Robby, but first we want to know a few things.
- Does he have a place to live?
- Does he come with a bank account to cover college in the future?
- Does he have a wardrobe?
- Vehicle?
- Can he cook?
- Do yard work?
The adoption agency would have you arrested for child abuse before you even had the chance to inflict actual abuse!
The problem?
You don’t adopt a child because of what he has or what he does.
You adopt him because of what he needs…a home.
This is how it is with God. He knows that we are doomed on our own. He knows that we are prone to wander toward anything and everything that will hurt and ruin us. So he launched a rescue plan 2,000 years ago and the plan begins at the cross and culminates in adoption. Not adoption based on what we bring to the adoption negotiations, but adoption based on God’s grace (unmerited favor)!
Listen to what Max Lucado says about being in God’s very own family…
“It would be enough if God just cleanse your name, but He does more. He gives you a name. It would be enough if God just (unlocked the prison door) set you free, but he does more. He takes you home…”
Think about that the next time you feel unworthy or undervalued.