Chosen!

Ephesians 1:4-5

NIV).  For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love  he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—

I cannot even imagine the joy my nephew and niece were feeling the day they finally adopted four children! They had fostered these four sweet kids for about two years. Though they have two biological children, they felt they still had room in their hearts, and home for a couple more. However, when these 4 were presented to them as a ‘package’, they were hooked.

That is not to say there have not been trials. Any family has them. It is to say when the birth mother selflessly put the needs of her children above the wants of her heart, she was able to relinquish them to their ‘forever family.’ An interesting twist in this story is that my niece and nephew still stay in touch with the birth Mom, and she kind of has been adopted by them as well.

I am very proud of this little family! They are a ‘living gospel’ to the world. They are able to love these four as their own flesh and blood. They receive love from the children in return.

Did you know that we also have been adopted? When God told the Jewish disciples to go to the Gentile’s and tell them about the Jewish Jesus, we were allowed to be ‘grafted’ into the Jewish lineage. In that one move toward Gentiles God showed us when we receive Jesus, we receive the same inheritance, life with God in Heaven. And all the comforts of having the Holy Spirit here with us on earth. Isn’t that incredible?

Yet is is the same as my nephew’s adoption of his children. When they all walked into the courthouse, only 5 of them had the Liples sir name. When they walked out, all nine could claim that name as theirs.

In Christ’s plan, we walk into the courthouse with the name ‘sinner, separated from God’. With just the acceptance of Christ as our Savior, the judge drops the gavel and says, “not guilty!” We become part and parcel of a new family with the name; redeemed, forgiven child of the King, son of God.

I doubt if any of the children were thinking of the ‘inheritance’ they could receive when the time came. But, yes, they will be included in any inheritance. They also have the comfort of being part of a loving family they can rely on. So do we as King’s kid’s! And we have an inheritance to look forward to as well. Life eternally in a place prepared for us to live forever with no sickness or sorrow, no death or tears. We have God’s sir name!

So, I ask you, have you gone to the ‘judge’ of your soul and have you been adopted into God’s family? It’s easy to do, no 2 year wait, and all the benefits begin immediately.