Adopting the Father’s Heart for Adoption

As followers of Christ, our goal should be to do the will of our Father! Jesus set a tremendous example for us of living a laid down life. He has asked us, through the grace of Holy Spirit, to do the same. Through His unchanging Word, He provides instruction and insight – leading us in His good, pleasing, and perfect will. And one of the things dearest to the Father’s heart is adoption.

Freedom from Fear

Romans 8:15: For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”

The narrative of Satan is fear. It is how he operates. From the conception of sin in the garden of Eden, he played to the fear of man. In Genesis 3:4-5 we read: “Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Eve bought in to the fear that God was holding out on her. The fear of missing out was greater than her fear of the Lord.
Throughout scripture, we witness Satan weaving his deceptions, laced with fear. Fear holds captive the hearts of mankind, the opposite of divine love captivating hearts. That is, until the beautiful redemption of adoption permitted us to cry out, “Abba Father!”

In this, we find the Father’s heart for the fatherless – to relieve fear. Fear, itself is innately a part of fallen humanity. For children who have been separated from their birth family, there is the terror of unspeakable trauma, grief, and loss. By coming alongside these vulnerable children, and helping them process their loss, we can show them love – which exposes and eradicates fear.

It is imperative that we remember that love is a verb. That is evident in 1 Corinthians 13. Love does not just pamper and coddle – it does what is best for the other person. For children who have been adopted, this often means finding the professional services they need to not only survive, but thrive! Finding attachment and trauma specialists, identifying underlying health issues, and parenting from a place of confidence and not offense.

Redemption from Wandering

Romans 8:23 Not only that, but we also who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

Our adoption into God’s family meant the redemption of our wandering. Our physical bodies still deteriorate. We still age – hopefully gracefully! – and we still face the ailments of sickness and disease. But God, in His gracious love, redeemed the wandering of our spirits to eternal life with Him. He had already blessed His chosen people, the Israelites, with His presence and favor. But to be adopted was to put to rest the wandering to and fro – from the desert to the promised land, and back again.

In the same way, the adoption of a child should put to rest the wandering. The security we experience in the arms of our Heavenly Father, should be mirrored in the security our children find with us. While security of circumstances can be critical to a child who is facing great loss, security of attachment to a caring, responsible, loving adult who is committed to their true well-being is infinitely more valuable.

Security in Belonging

Galatians 4:4-7 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Our adoption into God’s family not only redeemed us from wandering, it secured our belonging to Him. We did not simply become justified, able to stand before His glory. We became His sons and daughters. Heirs of God.
In the same way, through adoption, we welcome children into our family. We don’t just meet their physical and emotional needs until they become adults. They don’t have to work for or earn it. They become sons and daughters. Heirs in our families.

Adopting the Father’s Heart for Adoption

The Word of God is clear about the Father’s heart for adoption. When we align ourselves with His truth, and embrace the mandate of caring for orphans, we can adopt the heart of the Father for adoption. We can open our hearts and homes to children in need of safe, loving families who lead them to freedom from fear, redemption from wandering, and security in belonging.

Have you considered adoption? Have you already adopted? We’d love to hear from you in the comments!

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Naomi Quick

Naomi loves Jesus. She is married to her best friend, John. They have six amazing, beautiful kids, two of whom have been adopted from the foster care system. Naomi homeschools their tribe of world changers. She is a type-A, list-making, change-fearing girl living an adventure that demands flexibility, spontaneity, and constant change! Through her words, she prays you'll find something that points your heart to the Dream Giver and the Author of each of our stories - Jesus.
Naomi is the author of Don’t Waste Your Wait: Embracing the Journey of Bringing Your Child Home. She writes over at her site, Living Out 127, and has done a number of speaking engagements and trainings for prospective and current adoptive and foster families.

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• Adopting the Father’s Heart for Adoption - November 17, 2017