Adoption=Love

So my wife and I have been burning the candle at both ends all week. Between her getting up early and my FMS flaring up due to the cold weather, we've both been hurting. Add to that the meetings we have scheduled this week and we both feel exhausted. On the other hand I wouldn't change a thing this week.

As I'm writing this my head is spinning with all the things I need to get done before Easter. Yes, I said Easter. The Adult Choir at church is performing a full cantata called Love's Greatest Story Written in Red. So practices have to start in January so we can all learn the song selections, add to that narrations and drama and...ouch my head hurts.

Anyway, the highlight of the week thus far has to have been Monday night. 'Why?' you ask. That's simple, my wife and I went to an adoption open house at Communities for People. We had already started the classes to be licensed foster parents but were unable to complete them due to some scheduling conflicts. But, we can make up the classes we missed with this next session. so by the end of March we should be fully licensed.

So, you might be thinking, 'Wow, adoption huh?' Believe me when I tell you that we have heard every argument against adoption there is. From 'You'll never love them as much as your own.' to 'You know the biological parents could always take them back and then where will you be?' It's not like we don't have our own fears, but I just see this as another way to live out my faith. After all, if I truly believe that as a Christian that I have been grafted into the vine of God's family, in essence being adopted as a son of God, then how can I not want to adopt a child.

We are going through the foster care system for many reasons, but as I write this I'm reminded of the parallels in God's plan of salvation. Before I was saved I was a slave to the world, and as such I was beaten down by the world. I have on numerous occasions told my testimony of how my entire life I was told that I was worthless and useless, but God broke through and revealed that He has a plan for me. In many way spiritually we are all like these children who have been physically abused and abandoned. But God, in his mercy takes us and lovingly brings us into His family, and if I am truly to be like Christ should I not love these children and bring them into our family and ultimately into God's family.

I have more than enough love for any and all the children that God would bring into my life, because I don't love even my own wife and child in my own strength, but in the strength of God. As a good friend once told me: 'I love my wife as much as I do because I love Christ more than her. If I didn't then I wouldn't love her as Christ loves her, unconditionally.' That's a powerful statement and its true. I know because I couldn't be the husband and father I am if I didn't love my God more than them. Because when we truly love God we begin to see the world the way He does, and our hearts should break for what breaks His and we should be spurned in to love others the way He loves them. So to sum it up to me, Adoption is synonymous with Love.