Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Adoption Is The Gospel

Nikki and I are very thankful for the opportunity to adopt a child. Adoption is something we have talked about since even before we were married. It has been exciting to share with family and friends that the Lord has led us to this point.
The adoption process is slow and at times arduous. However, we are learning so much through the process, most importantly, that adoption is the heart of the gospel. More on this later.

In the mean time, here are some thoughts concerning adoption:

First, adoption is not plan B. It is not secondary in any way. Adoption is of preeminent importance to us and is not a backup plan. It has surprised me to hear how many people think this way about adoption. Often their thinking goes, if you cannot have biological children, and you want children, then you just adopt someone's baby they didn't want. This is not adoption. This is self-centered self-gratification. We consider adoption to be of equal importance and an equally great blessing as having biological children.

Second, we believe adoption done from a heart of faith is a beautiful act of obedience that is immensely pleasing to the Lord. As we have discussed adoption intensely the last few months, it has become ever more apparent that adoption fulfills a myriad of Scripture. Such as:

Matthew 22:34-40 "Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question; 'Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?' Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it, Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments'.

Proverbs 14:21 "He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who is kind to the needy".

Proverbs 31:8-9 "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy".

Deuteronomy 15:7,8, 11 "If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the Lord your God is giving to you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs.... Therefore I (God) command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land".

Mark 9:36-37 "Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, 'If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all'. He took a little child and had him stand among them. 'Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me'.

James 1:27 "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this; to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world".

And there are many others.
To be continued...

1 comment:

The Brannan Brief! said...

I totally agree. Mark and I are adopting from ET now. It is plan A for us and we would not choose to begin our family any other way. :)