
This is the obvious question asked of our family. I mean, we really do have a busy life with our four busy, loud, energetic boys. And they are all boy - digging tunnels to China in the backyard, bouncing off the walls if they're in the house too long, and the whole frogs and snails and puppy dog tails thing.
Why adopt? The answer for us is that God put that desire in our hearts.
God’s way of creating desire is very unique, perhaps even counter-intuitive. A very familiar verse reads, “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4). This does not mean that God promises to give us everything we dream of, but that He will change our desires to be ones that He can bless. As we delight in Him, we will be infused with the Spirit’s delight who alone can give us desire compatible with His own. In the very next verse, God says simply “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.”
For our family, the question became “Why not adopt?” It won’t be something God burdens everyone about. But for us, the reasons we could give to the question “Why not adopt” just didn’t seem to hold weight in comparison to the opportunity to change the life of a child. In looking at international adoption, we realize that we will be adopting a child that may not have an opportunity to hear the Gospel otherwise. And we pray that our story will point people to the story of Redemption and God’s adoption of us when we were in desperate need because of our sin.
To love an orphan is our joyful response to the loving Father who sought us when we were orphans.
“In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace…” (Ephesians 1:5-6)
“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:18)
Why adopt? The answer for us is that God put that desire in our hearts.
God’s way of creating desire is very unique, perhaps even counter-intuitive. A very familiar verse reads, “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4). This does not mean that God promises to give us everything we dream of, but that He will change our desires to be ones that He can bless. As we delight in Him, we will be infused with the Spirit’s delight who alone can give us desire compatible with His own. In the very next verse, God says simply “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.”
For our family, the question became “Why not adopt?” It won’t be something God burdens everyone about. But for us, the reasons we could give to the question “Why not adopt” just didn’t seem to hold weight in comparison to the opportunity to change the life of a child. In looking at international adoption, we realize that we will be adopting a child that may not have an opportunity to hear the Gospel otherwise. And we pray that our story will point people to the story of Redemption and God’s adoption of us when we were in desperate need because of our sin.
To love an orphan is our joyful response to the loving Father who sought us when we were orphans.
“In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace…” (Ephesians 1:5-6)
“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:18)