Spirit of Adoption

“those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship/adoption.[g] And by Him we cry, "Abba,[h] Father." 16The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory. 18I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Romans 8:14-18

“How great is the love the Father has lavished upon us, that we should be called sons and daughters of God.” IJohn 3:1

I had never thought extensively and emotionally about adoption until spending time with the orphans. Not much beyond having a husband who is adopted, several friends who are blessed with adopting children, and the blessing of witnessing several families in our church adopt children after short-term missions trips to their orphanage.

One of the families blessed our church body by chronicling their adoption on a blog, and now we get to know their beautiful new daughter. Other families in our church body are in the process of adopting children.

Our week in Puerta Plata did change that. As we saw relationships develop, and bonds form, the vision of these children grafting into our body was present. Or is it us grafting into their body? I am not sure there is a difference. Leaving the children there was painful, and tears well even now contemplating it. The thought of relationship, wondering what they are doing, who is playing with them, is anyone sick, have they recovered any baseballs, are they anticipating the arrival of the Jenkins family?

If we, as mere man, have all these emotions, how much more the Father in Heaven must. He did create us in His image, disciplines us as children, provides for us oh so much better than our earthly fathers, loves us and has plans for us beyond our comprehension as His ways are higher than our ways. And the truly amazing love that he would die for me to make me His daughter. Me, a worm. Of no worth on my own. I guess that is the point. I bring nothing to the table. He died for us while still sinners. The heart ache that He must feel to be separated from one of His, really reflected in the joy of finding the lost sheep. (Plug here for Prodigal God by Tim Keller).
I have intellectually known this for a while. We are adopted sons and daughters, co-heirs with Christ, grafted in. But to see the orphans, no father of their own, so loving and lovable, grafted onto us now; then leaving them. Desiring to take them home with us. I would never presume to empathize with God, but I now have a fuller understanding of His adoption of us. That He would die for us. That He would go to that extreme.

At this point, I am planning to return in the fall with a medical group, our oldest daughter is already earning money for her “next trip”, and we have been online looking at flights, costs, etc. We have looked at all the photos online, as we now know the children, and have seen how they have grown. Like JuJu(Djuvenson) and Jeffrey who came to the orphanage last May when Brad and Brooke were there, of Brian, Richi, Richard, Samuel, Jose Miguel, Elian last summer and spring when they were smaller and skinnier. And the photos of Christmas. AM and I make comments on the kids, that this one was not smiling, that one was so small then, this one looked so much younger. Looking at the photos feels like looking at the family album.

Now this may seem like emotional hype, but as I ponder on God’s Word, and what He tells us to do (which is 27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27), how blessed we are that He would give us a heart to do what He tells us to do.
Now we are to pray about what is next. Certainly, many have approached different members of the team about wanting to go. Like other orphanage groups, I would not be surprised by families adopting some of the children. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:6-7) . As Harry says, now is the fun time, which is the waiting to see what God will do next!

http://www.la-republique-dominicaine.org/Dominican-Republic-adoption.html

Here is the official DR site for adoption. Pray as Brad and others work to become accredited, obtain paperwork, work with government agencies to delineate the process from Casa Tesorio de Dios. Pray for direction regarding the specific children, as He may be raising up leaders for the country who are disciple by Harry, Brad, Brooke, etc. His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts higher than our thoughts.