3 Comparison Points Between Adoption and the Gospel

​Have you ever considered how adoption in the physical, human world relates to our relationship with God?  Did you ever ponder the connections between what takes place when two people unrelated to a child by blood welcomes an orphan into their home with the gospel message?  

Well as an adoptee myself and the older sister to two other girls from China, my family and I have considered the matter quite a bit.  In fact, my parents and I were recently asked to share with a small Bible study group on this topic.  We shared nine points of similarity which I’ve been posting and sharing one at a time over on my Google+ page.  However, for my faithful blog readers who don’t do Google+, I thought I’d reshare the first three points here with you.*   ​

Adoption was an act started and completed by my parents.
They instigated it and took the appropriate steps to ensure that it went through to completion.  I had no part in the matter and did nothing to deserve, earn, or warrant the attention.  I was merely living out my life while people half-way around the world were preparing and laboring towards a moment that would change all of our lives forever.
 
Likewise, our adoption into God’s family was no work of our own.  God initiated the process and brought it to completion without our awareness of what He was doing.  He did all the work; He gets all the credit.  There is nothing we could do or add to this completed work. 
 
It is finished.  It is done.  So let us praise God for the atoning work of the cross and give thanks to Him for starting and completing our adoption process into His family. 
 
Adoption is a lifelong commitment.
It’s not a passing responsibility, but one that lasts throughout the life of the one adopting.  In human terms that equals the life of the adoptive parents.  In spiritual terms, it’s the lifetime of God—who is eternal. 
 
So, just as earthly parents commit themselves to their adopted children for the rest of their lives, so also God is committing Himself to His relationship with us for the rest of eternity.  He will not leave us once we reach a certain age or send us back when we become too difficult.  No, He is in this for the long haul and will never leave or forsake His children.  
 
Therefore, let us find peace and confidence in knowing that, as far as God is concerned, our place in God’s family is secure for the rest of eternity.
 
Adoption involves sacrifice. 
In the physical realm, adoptive parents sacrifice time, energy, and resources to pursue the adoption of their children.  It is not an easy process.  In the case of international adoption, it can require one or several trips overseas to visit the child and then finalize the paperwork.  The paperwork in and of itself requires much time, energy, and finances to jump through the red tape and legal requirements for both the U.S. and the other foreign country.  There are times of heartbreak when things don’t go as planned, such as in the case of domestic adoption when the birth mom decides to keep her baby.  All these spell out sacrifice on the part of the adoptive parents. 
 
However, the sacrifice they make is dim and miniscule in comparison to the sacrifice God made to bring us into His family.  In the human world, it may cost thousands of dollars, years of time, deferred hope, and potential disappointment, but in the spiritual realm adoption required a life.  A life lived in perfection, spotless and void of sin, and that life freely given. 
 
God’s sacrifice required the giving of His only Son.  Our spiritual adoption didn’t require time, energy, or finances, but rather everything God had.  And He gave it all.  He held nothing back, but sent His Son, His only Son, to the cross for us.
 
Why?  Because He said that we—that you, that I—are worth it. 

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*I promise to post the rest of the points on the blog in the coming weeks.  So keep your eye out for more!