I'm continuing to read through Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families and Churches by Russell D. Moore. Reading slowly because there's so much there to ponder. It's not a book just for those of adopting age. It's also for those of us who want and need to support families who are in the procreation time of life, who are adding to their family, either biologically and/or through adoption. It's for those of us who need to understand the whole concept of our own adoption into God's family, if we are followers of Jesus Christ. It's all intertwined.Have you ever thought about Joseph being an adoptive father? He could have said that disrupts his life's plans and walk away. Life took on new meaning when he didn't. He had to fight against the very powers of Satan. Powers that have not changed. Let me share just a couple of paragraphs with you.
Satan always uses human passions to bring about his purposes. When new life stands in the way of power--whether that power is a Pharaoh's military stability or a community leader's reputation in light of his teenage daughter's pregnancy--the blood of children often flows. Herod loved his power; so he raged against babies. In the middle of all this stood Joseph, an unlikely demon-wrestler.--------------
It's easy to shake our heads in disgust at Pharaoh or Herod or Planned Parenthood. It's not as easy to see the ways in which we ourselves often have a Pharaoh-like view of children rather than a Christlike view. What God calls blessing, we often grumble at as a curse--and for the same reason those old kings did, because they disrupt our life plans. Our "kingdom" may be smaller than that of those old kings, our pyramids and monuments less enduring; but it's all still there. I'm not arguing that parents should have as many children as biologically possible. I'm not arguing that every family is called to adopt children.
I am suggesting, though, that we look at some of the ways in which we refuse to see blessing in something as noisy and frustrating as children.
I'm thankful that Jesus Christ reconciled me to God and for God's adoption of me into His family. It's made all the difference in my life.
