Are you adopted?

I love Sundays. :)  I love going to church and being able to freely worship my amazing God.  I love having Life Group (Bible Study) with our friends.  I love how God always gives us what we need when we need it....even if in my emotional self it leads to tears. 

Yesterday in worship we sang this song..which led to those tears I mentioned as we sang the bridge...
"...And in the night when all our hope is lost,
You are the one who won't give up on us.
You hold the orphan in your loving arms
This is who You are....."

Lord, please do hold our sweet Meisi and all the precious orphans in your arms today.  How I long to know she is loved.  How I long to be the one who is loving her.  How I long to be with her, to spend time with her, to care for her....

I was also reminded by our pastor that I have been blessed with 86,400 seconds each day - use it or lose it....  How will I use that precious gift of time in this very brief life I've been given? 

As my hubby was prepping for Bible study that we have in our house (loads of fun - 11 adults and usually 13 kids (total of 16 kids between our families).  We eat together, talk together, pray together, laugh together. I.LOVE. IT (first time using period thingy) :)...but I digress....

Brian was prepping for our study on 1 John.  We are on chapter 3 this week.  He read a story that Max Lucado had written in regards to this chapter.  Here is what Max wrote:

"God not only forgives us, he also adopts us.  Through a dramatic series of events, we go from condemned orphans with no hope to adopted children with no fear.  Here is how it happens.  You come before the judgement seat of God full of rebellion and mistakes.  Because of his justice he cannot dismiss your sin, but because of his love he cannot dismiss you.  So, in an act which stunned the heavens, he punished himself on a cross for your sins.  God's justice and love are equally honored.  And you, God's creation, are forgiven.  But the story doesn't end with God's forgiveness.

For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out "Abba! Father!" The spirit himself bears witness with our Spirit that we are children of God. (Rom 8:15-16)

It would be enough if God just cleansed your name, but he does more.  He gives you  His name.  It would  enough if God just set you free, but He does more.  He takes you home.  He takes you home to the Great House of God.

Adoptive parents understand this more than anyone.  I certainly don't mean to offend any biological parents - I'm one myself.  We biological parents know well the earnest longing to have a child.  But in many cases our cribs were filled easily.  We decided to have a child and a child came.  In fact, sometimes the child came with no decision.  I've heard of unplanned pregnancies, but I've never heard of an unplanned adoption. 

That's why adoptive parents understand God's passion to adopt us.  They know what it means to feel an empty space inside.  They know what it means to hunt, to set out on a mission, and take responsibility for a child with a spotted past and a dubious future.  If anyone understands God's ardor for His children, it's someone who has rescued an orphan from despair, for that is what God has done for us. 

God has adopted you.  God sought you, found you, signed the papers and took you home."  (From The Great House of God by Max Lucado).

After reading, I thought - wow...  God has those same longings for me... to spend time with Him, to be loved by Him, to love Him and others as He does.  And a realization that I do not spend my 86,400 seconds each day to the fullest, fearlessly resting in His arms. Of course, I have not finished the race... I will press on, learning more, leaning more, abiding more each day.

My adoption story is one of love.  I love because He first loved me.  His name is greater than any other... so thankful I carry his name as His daughter. 

So what about you -

Are you adopted?  If not, is God seeking you?  Do you feel Him drawing near to you?  Are you rebelling, are you running away?  If so... I pray you stop.  His arms are waiting to hold you.  He is full of grace, full of love.  He is faithful and worthy.  This is who He is.