Adoption Is in God’s Plan

 

 

Shadia Hrichi, cbn.com

Adoption. What a beautiful concept. And it was God’s idea! It is how God chose to create a family for Himself to be the object of His eternal love and affection (Ephesians 1:5; Romans 8:15). In fact, all throughout history, God has woven adoption into His divine plan.

Consider Esther: A young Jewish girl was taken into exile along with her family to Babylon where she was adopted by her elder cousin Mordecai who, “had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.” (Esther 2:7). This girl would become Queen Esther whom God used to facilitate the deliverance of her people. While an evil advisor was hell-bent on exterminating them, Ether’s wise adopted father challenged her with these famous words,

“And who knows if perhaps you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)

How about Moses: Born at a time when the Pharaoh of Egypt, fearing a rebellion, put to death all newborn Israelite boys. But baby Moses escaped when he was adopted by the Pharaoh’s own daughter. In time, God would use Moses to deliver the entire nation of Israel from slavery.

“The cry of the people of Israel has reached me, and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians abuse them. Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.” (Exodus 3:9-10)

And Jesus! Even Jesus was adopted! When Joseph learned Mary was pregnant (and knew the child wasn’t his), he hoped to spare her a scandal and planned to call off the engagement. But God came to Joseph in a dream.

“As Joseph considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. ‘Joseph, son of David,’ the angel said, ‘do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’” (Matthew 1:20-21)

And so Joseph took Mary as his wife.

Long before time began, God planned a rescue mission. And throughout history, He has weaved adoption into His salvation story.

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” (Galatians 4:4-7)

Praise our Lord for His kindness and goodness and that He chooses to adopt us into His loving embrace!

Abba’s Child

 

Especially around Father’s Day each year I am thankful for my dad and my three kids. I also remember “the Father from whom all fatherhood derives its name” (Ephesians 3:15). To appreciate God as your Father every day is something you can learn to do — even if your relationship with your father was painful for you.

A favorite topic I like to share in retreats and seminars is “Embracing Abba.” “Abba” is Hebrew for Papa and it’s the first word that a little Hebrew boy or girl says. It’s a wonderful, affectionate name for God and I love to use it in my prayers. To know that the Almighty God is our dear Papa is such a blessing!

On a recent “Embracing Abba” retreat I led I guided everyone in a time of healing prayer, using Mark 10:13-16 which tells the story of Jesus receiving little children into his arms to bless them. Jesus not only loved these little ones he fought for them, rebuking his disciples who tried to shoo them away because Jesus was busy.

The Gospels record a number of instances in which Jesus picked up children and held them, affirmed them, or blessed them in some way. Have you ever put yourself in one of these stories? This is one of the most important things you can do.

The Child in You Longs for Abba’s Love

You may have lost touch with it, but you have a child part of you inside. There’s a little and vulnerable part of you that longs for your Heavenly Father to lift you up in his arms with joy!

Have you brought this child in you to Jesus and his Abba? Does your heart cry out to God with affection and delight, “Abba! Papa!”? We see in the Bible that Jesus prayed to Abba (Mark 14:36) and so did Paul (Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:6).

There’s a void in you and in me that only Abba can fill. But we cling to people. We try to impress people. We rush around and strive to succeed. We worry. We accumulate more and more stuff. We seek new experiences. We escape into entertainments or alcohol. We hold onto old wounds, especially from our fathers.

O, my friends, Jesus shows us the Abba Father love of God that we yearn for! Nothing else will fill the void in you and in me. The Bible is full of affirmations of just how much “The Father God Loves You.”

A Breath Prayer

During the time of extended silence and solitude on the retreat, I reminded myself of my need for my Heavenly Father. (When I lead a retreat I go on retreat too because Jesus is the Retreat Leader and I’m just assisting him.) As I walked through the gardens on a beautiful spring day God gave me a delightful “Breath Prayer” inspired by the Gospel stories of Jesus and the children and the Scriptures that teach us to pray to God as Abba. The prayer that came to me to breathe in and out over and over was: “Jesus… Embrace me in Abba’s love.”

I breathed in deep with a smile: “Jesus…” I breathed out, still smiling, “Embrace me in Abba’s love.”

That little prayer kept me in Abba’s arms for hours. I prayed about other things but kept coming back to my yearning for my Abba.

Using Crayons to Pray

To help me get more in touch with the child inside of me I got out crayons and colored a picture of my longing to be embraced by Jesus and his Abba. As I colored, I reflected on how my life would be different and how much more loving I’d be to others if I were really free to live as Abba’s child always.

I interceded for others as I colored too. One-by-one I inserted their names in my little prayer: “Jesus… embrace _______ in Abba’s love.”

Writing a Prayer Poem

In my time of solitude a prayer poem came to me: “Abba’s Child.” May God use it to help release more of the child in you to lift up your arms and pray: “Jesus… Embrace me in Abba’s love.”

 

Devotions for Father’s Day

 

 Jeff Bulthuis, todaydevotional

June 11, 2019 • Jeff Bulthuis

What comes to mind when you hear the term Father’s Day? Maybe you think about stereotypical gifts like neckties or #1 Dad t-shirts. Perhaps you have memories of the sights and smells of grilling together. Or maybe—like many people—the holiday provides an opportunity for you to celebrate your Father in heaven.

Whatever the case may be, we wanted to provide a Father’s Day gift for you: 5 devotionals for Father’s Day.

1. Honoring Parents by Henry Kranenburg. This devotion answers two key questions: 1) is there an age when we’re no longer required to honor our parents? and 2) how are honoring our parents and honoring God connected?
2. Learning from Examples by George Vink. The apostle Paul famously tells others to follow his example. Especially on Father’s Day, consider what kind of example you’re providing for others.
3. The Runaway Son by Art Schoonveld. The story of the Prodigal Son speaks just as clearly today as it did 2,000 years ago. God’s fatherly love is a reassurance for us, whether we know a runaway or are one.
4. A Holy Hug by David Den Haan. Recalling the dramatic reunion between a father and his estranged daughter, the author encourages us to embrace hurting people.
5. Coming Home by Bob Heerspink. Take the opportunity to remember that—like a loving, patient father—God welcomes us home to him when we’ve wandered away.

On Father’s Day—and every day—we pray that your spirit would be refreshed, refocused, and renewed as you “see what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1).

How to Be a Better Father

 

By Terence Chatmon

Ephesians 6:4, “Fathers,[b] do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”

Since I recognized my own shortcomings as a father about 15-20 years ago, I’ve been doing a lot of research and study of the fatherhood crisis in America.  One thing I’ve discovered is that, more than anything else, and no matter the kind of father you are, there is never a time in a child’s life when he or she doesn’t crave a father’s love.

You may not be able to spend much time with your child because of a broken marriage or business travel, or whatever it may be, but I think the number one way to be a better father is to make sure that in every single interaction you have with your child, you are assuring him or her of your love. Maybe it’s just an email or text once a day if you’re not able to see them in person, but they need to lay their head on the pillow every night assured and confident in their father’s love.

After assurances of their father’s love, the next thing children need to hear is their father’s belief in them. No matter what their friends or their teachers or even their mom says to them about what a capable and special person they are, it never carries the weight that it does coming from Dad. If you express your belief in your child, regularly and specifically, it serves as a great deterrent to the doubts that can creep in and rob them of their self-confidence and positive outlook about themselves.

This is vitally important in the older elementary and middle school years, where we are seeing so many tragic instances of bullying and social media shaming.  No matter what the world says about them, if a child knows inside “my father believes in me and sees value in me, no matter what anyone else says,” they are more able to filter out and put less stock in those external negative opinions.

Finally, while we need to reassure our children of our love for and belief in them, we also need to be clear that while we love them, sometimes we cannot condone their behavior. Our children need to know their boundaries, and that because their father loves and wants to protect them, there will be consequences for going beyond those boundaries.

Children can understand, even if they can’t verbalize it, that you can love and accept them without loving and accepting all of their behaviors.  They can even recognize it is love that wants to protect them from the harm that comes from disobedience. If they are not given boundaries and discipline, they realize there is something lacking in the love they receive. True love loves unconditionally, but comes with accountability. Children need to know they are loved, and loved enough to want what’s best for them, which means the occasional course correction. Fathers who are absent may be afraid to punish, believing it will drive their children from them, but that could not be further from the truth, as long as the children know the discipline comes out of love.

In the Ring

 

Anita Agers-Brooks, cbn.com

Sometimes life just kicks us in the gut. Sometimes we deserve it, sometimes we don’t, but regardless, it still hurts.

Lately, the air around me surges thick with spiritual warfare. I get through one thing, and then BAM, something else hits. One moment I seem down for the count, but then Jesus whispers in my ear, “Get up, don’t quit, come on Rocky, give ’em the ole one-two.”

Okay, well maybe He doesn’t say it exactly like that. What He does say is, “Be strong and of good courage. Don’t give up, I’m in your corner, get back up and brush yourself off because I’ve trained you to be a winner, not a loser.”

It isn’t easy to roll onto my skinned knees, crawl to a stand on weak and wobbly legs, and hold my bruised and bloodied fists in varying modes of defense and offense as the enemy and I square off yet again. Every day the bell rings, and we come out fighting.

With determination, I swing until it’s time to go to my corner. I get brief opportunities to catch my breath, swish my mouth, and let my Trainer blanket the cuts with binding salve. Once I’m revived, He sends me into the ring with renewed energy, and a go get ’em pep talk. I fight again. It’s been this way from the start.

When I first accepted God’s call, I said, “Lord, put me on the front line, and I’ll battle for you.” I was so enthusiastic, and I meant every word. I still do.

A lot has happened since then. My faith has been tested through trial, tribulation, wilderness temptations, and persecution. If Satan can’t get a direct hit, he punches me in the kidney or blindsides me from behind. How does he do it? He hits family and friends, anyone I care deeply for. He’s a wily opponent and knows exactly where my weak spots are.

His strategy is simple; study my life to pinpoint the most effective attacks in advance. With stealth, tactical decisions, and methodical plans, he pushes me into corners. Gloves up, I bare the blows and cry out in pain. But his plan has a fatal flaw. He miscalculates the power of faith in Jesus Christ.

In weakened desperation I rasp, “Lord, how will you get me through this one?” His strong, steady voice reminds me, “I’ve never left you. I am here, and I won’t leave you. You cannot lose, because I cannot lose. The battle belongs to me.”

Like Nehemiah 8:10 I say, “The joy of the Lord is my strength,” and I push myself off the ropes.

WHAM, another blow to my cheek. SPLAT, our fists clash in sword-like combat. WHOOSH, my uppercut connects with his mid-section. Blood splatters cover the floor. On and on we go, round after round. I am tired, but I am not sorry for this battle. I am honored, I am humble, and I am victorious; not because of anything I do, for the war surely belongs to my Lord.

Sometimes life hurts. I will praise Him, even when it does. I will not give up. His joy is my strength. This is life in the ring, I live to fight every day.

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith. 1 John 5:4 (NASB)

Pharisees on Facebook

 

by Ryan Duncan, crosswalk.com

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. – John 13:34-35 

I have a friend who loves starting debates. Every once in awhile, he’ll post an article or question on his Facebook page, then send out a request asking people to share their thoughts. These questions can cover every topic from politics to pop-culture, and typically generate good discussion. There was one post however, where things got pretty grim. It all started when my friend posted an article about a group of Christians who went to a Gay Pride parade holding signs that read “We’re sorry for how the Church has treated you.” Personally, I was pretty touched at the article, but as you might expect on such a hot button issue, not everyone felt the same way.

It didn’t take long before the whole discussion exploded into a big honking argument and I remember leaving the thread in disgust, both by what others had written and how I had responded. The most unnerving part however, happened three days later when I picked up my Bible and read a passage where the Pharisees interrogated a man Jesus had just healed.

Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.” The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out. – John 9:26-34 

We like to think we are different from the Pharisees, but the truth is we’re not. The Pharisees were the religious elite of the day, but they were so full of pride at their own self-righteousness, they could not even see the work of Christ when it was literally standing right in front of them. Instead, they argued and hurled insults at their enemy, a man who had done them no harm at all. I hate to say it, but that sounds a lot like me sometimes.

As Christians, we must remember that everything we say and everything we do reflects the presence of God in our lives. If we respond to others with cruelty, should we be surprised when their perception of Jesus is twisted? But if we respond in love, than perhaps they’ll begin to understand how Christ sees them. So ask yourself, how does the world see Christ when they look at you?

Imperfect Fathers

 

Boyd Bailey , cbn.com

Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.” Luke 15:11-12 (NIV)

All fathers are a work in process — none perfect, no not one. Boy, do I still feel this — even though my oldest child is 33-years-old! I prayed Rebekah (our first child) would have extra patience, since I was always practicing on her. Many times trial and error (she might say terror!) was my approach to fatherhood. I often questioned myself, “Was I too strict?” “Did I balance firmness with fun?” Fortunately, God filled the gaps of my inadequacies. His grace became our family’s relational glue. My imperfection as a father keeps me dependent on my heavenly Father.

Jesus describes a man with two sons. So, we know from the outset this dad, like the rest of us, was a flawed father. No doubt he tried to do the best with what he had. But the pressure of raising two very different boys was real and raw. One day, he faced the challenge of how to respond to the disrespectful demand of his youngest son. The dad decided to give both boys their inheritance, knowing they might not be ready. The younger squandered his stuff and the oldest grew self-righteous. What looked like a major parenting blunder — turned out to be a decision that brought the youngest back to God. Imperfect fathers trust the Lord to bring about His perfect plan.

“For a son dishonors his father… But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.” Micah 7:6-7 (NIV)

Do you feel overwhelmed with your responsibilities as a dad? The day in and day out energy it takes to love and lead your little ones takes much more out of you than you ever imagined. One thing is for certain: you can’t be your best without learning from the best. Alone you may be a better father than some, but with the help of others you can become a better dad than most. So, invite three other dads for coffee and discuss books and scripture about parenting. Set the tone by being vulnerable about your own insecurities. Imperfect fathers learn from imperfect fathers.

Above all, as imperfect earthly fathers we lean into our perfect heavenly Father. He takes our best efforts and carries out His will. He takes our mistakes and teaches us humility. He takes our weaknesses and makes us strong in Him. Our imperfections are not an excuse to plateau as a parent. We keep learning. We ask forgiveness from our child. We pray with our child. We play with our child. When we are honest about our fears and struggles we create an environment of open communication. Fathers fail when they quit, but they succeed when they stay engaged with their child and with Christ. Fatherhood is not for the faint of heart, but it is for a heart of faith.

“As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.” Psalm 103:13 (NIV)