Forever

My daughter’s favorite word

Forever.

It’s my daughter’s favorite word.

We adopted her from foster care when she was six years old. During her years in foster care, she had moved around a lot, in and out of many homes, and had adults make promises to her but not keep them. Once, after a nightmare, I comforted her by telling her the story of how she joined our family. I said, “And now you’re here forever! Do you know what forever means?”

She said, sleepily, “Forever means staying.”

She was absolutely right. She would never have to leave, feeling rejected and alone, and go to a new family again. When we signed her adoption papers we promised to be her parents forever and to fully entitle her to what is deserved as our child.

Our adoption through Christ

“In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 1:5

As Christians, we have been adopted into God’s family as his children. And the promises God makes as our adoptive father are even more sure than the ones my husband and I made to our daughter. God cannot go back on his word. “My mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked.” Isaiah 45:23

There was no concept for adoption in the ancient Jewish culture. When a man died, his brother became the head of the household and life went on. No one was left destitute or in need of a family. So when Paul writes about adoption, he’s referring to the Roman custom. Roman parents actually had the option to disown their biological child for a number of reasons. The biological/parent child relationship of the Romans wasn’t always permanent or desired by the parent.

But for an adopted Roman child, the relationship was permanent. An adopted child could not be disowned, because the parents had freely chosen and desired that child. And more, the past of the adopted child was erased, their debts canceled, their former responsibilities gone. The child had a new identity, new rights and responsibilities. The adopted child also shared in all the father’s possessions.

Paul wanted his readers to understand the completely new position they were in as God’s children, no longer linked to their former ways of life. The debt of their sin was gone. They had new responsibilities as children of the King and were “co-heirs with Christ.” Romans 8:17.

The benefits apply to us

These are the same gifts we unwrap through our adoption into God’s family. We get the gift of a clean slate–our pasts are gone and we are new creations. We are given new responsibilities and roles. And the best part is, there is no need to exchange these gifts. They will never break or get lost or need updating.

What a blessing to be adopted into His family!

Forever.