in Him we were also chosen…in conformity with the purpose of His will…” 

Have you seen the movie “Dennis the Menace?” That was my youngest boy when he arrived from Ukraine: blond-haired, blue-eyed and full of energy. When I walked down the street with my seven-year-old hand-in-hand, because he needed exercise, and I heard footsteps running up behind and someone grabbed my other hand and it was his big brother, I was so glad they were excited that I’m their dad. They had not had that before. When my little nine-year-old girl squeezed my neck so hard that I needed a chiropractic adjustment, it thrilled my heart. To know how much it means to them, and to know that they can’t imagine how much it means to me is inexpressible.

I realize that my Father wants me to know that I am loved, that he loves me so much that no price is too great. He was willing to sacrifice the life of his dearly loved Son in order to redeem me and make me his child. I have a new Dad.

I was born again years ago. I have known for years that God is my Father, but during the year of our adoption process, my understanding gained great speed. I pulled away from earth a bit. The gravity wasn’t quite as strong. It’s so great to know that my Father loves me. I have a deeper perspective on what it means to be part of a new family.

There was no way to explain to our Ukrainian children what it meant to be part of our family. We showed them photos of America and our home and their older brothers, but there was no way for them to grasp it. These kids had a new mother and father and new siblings, and my biological sons gained two brothers and a sister. They had never had to deal with a sister before.

When we become part of the family of God, we have new brothers and sisters. God loves them just like he loves us. For some of us that’s a little difficult to take. It’s really hard for adopted children to believe that they are loved the same as biological children. I really do love them that way with a love that comes from God. It was hard for my children to believe I loved them this way. They had to experience it for a long time before they believed they were really ours. They knew our biological sons were ours, but they also knew they were adopted.

Now, by God’s grace, they are all our children. Love makes the difference. We love them and are committed to care for them as God does. We want our children to understand this.

God wants us to understand that he loves us as his children. He loves us just like he loves his beloved son Jesus. Our adoption is in Christ Jesus. Therefore, when the Bible talks of our receiving the righteousness of Jesus Christ, it’s not hyperbole. It’s not mythology. It’s reality. God views us as righteous with the righteousness of Christ. I am robed with the righteousness of Christ.

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