“For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father,” Romans 8:15.
It is a blessing to be adopted into a godly family, and we thank God for His mercy and grace. As natural adoption is close to an adoptive parent’s heart, so is spiritual adoption close to our heavenly Father’s heart. Consider also the stories of children who wandered away and got lost in the woods, or who got separated from their parents through war. A parent’s heart suffers tremendously through these ordeals, but what a blessing when the child is found and reunited with his family!
Our heavenly Father’s love is much better than our parental love. Genesis 1:26-27 reads: “And God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.” God created us in His own image and designed us for His glory, but because of the fall of man, we are born with a sinful nature.
Though children are safe in their innocent state, there comes a time when they realize that they are sinful, lost, and separated from their Heavenly Father. “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear,” Isaiah 59:1-2. We must choose whether we will follow Christ or continue in our own way. We praise God that some choose to become saved and serve Christ. However, many choose to stay in their lost condition. Can we imagine the pain our heavenly Father must feel? He has given us physical life and thousands of blessings besides, yet multitudes choose to stay in their lost and sinful condition. How it must grieve our heavenly Father’s heart. Ephesians 4:30 reads: “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
On the other hand, blessings are for those who make their calling and election sure (2 Peter 1:10). The heavenly Father rejoices knowing that we choose to live for Him and obey His commandments. This is where spiritual adoption comes in: we become totally His. It is surely a great privilege to be adopted into the Christian Family. Being adopted into this one family, God’s family, is an infinitely great privilege. What a blessing to know that we belong to God.
