God’s Adopted Children

Some time ago we had a family come to us for lunch. The parents had three children, the youngest of whom was 10 months old. He was asleep when they arrived, but when he woke up and was brought through to join the rest of us, the mother said, "Do you know that this little fellow is adopted?"

We didn't know that but he was obviously much loved and a part of that family. After a while the 8-year-old daughter took the little fellow on her knee. "I do like having a little brother", she said.

In a very real sense Jesus Christ rejoices in having younger brothers and sisters because that was one great reason why he came into the world. We read, "God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons." You see, if we are not Christians, we are not in God's family — we are slaves in another family, that of the devil. But God, through what Jesus has done, has redeemed us — bought us back out of slavery — and brought us into his own family, not as slaves but as truly adopted children with all the rights and privileges that go with that. Why did he do this? Because he loved us!

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for coming into this world to redeem a sinner like me and to bring me to be adopted by my heavenly Father. Amen.