Gotcha

Today is the one year anniversary of when we picked up Malachi from the transition home in Ethiopia. Those in the adoption world typically refer to today as "gotcha day", (which I find a bit blunt . . . but whatever).

But, Malachi is home. . . .God ordained it from the foundations of the world that I would be his dad, and Jody would be his mom. That's a sweet truth today. Even 3 years ago, I had no concept of who Malachi was, or why I would want to adopt a child into our family. It's crazy.

One of the most powerful cases for adoption for Christians. . . is the doctrine of adoption of us by God. You see, we were once far away too. . .we were without hope, without a "people", without a spiritual "family". But, God, being rich in mercy, adopted us as sons and daughters of the King. He brought us home.

This truth is so much more powerful for me now that we have adopted Malachi. He really had no hope. He was sick, abandon, without a family, and a ward of the state (a state that happens to have 4 million orphans).

But, now he has a home. . and we, as Christians, have a father in God.

Ephesians 1:3-8

³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love ⁵he^c]">[c] predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— ⁶to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. ⁷In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace ⁸that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.

There is a further "adoption" to come for those who believe in Christ,

Romans 8:22-24

²²We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. ²³Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. ²⁴For in this hope we were saved.
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You also see this through earthly adoption when you visit an orphanage and see the kids, "waiting eagerly" for their adoption.

So, happy "Gotcha Day" everyone. I hope that you know, and believe that God's "got" you today, and I encourage all of you to get involved with adoption and orphan care in some way. It makes all of these truths really come home to you, and it's a tangible way to work out our salvation in this life.