It always makes me wonder how a mother and father feel when an adopted child wants to find his birth parents.  I understand that the blood bond creates a longing curiosity and I am not saying that it is wrong for an adopted child to want to know.   But when it comes right down to it the mother and father who have adopted the child, because of their love, provision and care, in my opinion they are the true parents (I know they are legally because of the adoption but they have played the role and so they deserve the rightful title).

            Adoption becomes a great and wonderful thing when we think of the kingdom of God.  Of course we were created by God and are rightfully His but because of sin in this world and the curse placed upon it as a result we have been given over to the devil and this world system.  We have become children of the devil.  I know that sounds repulsive and even offensive.  When called that it kind of helps us to understand just a bit why the Pharisees were so offended when Jesus told them that they were of their father the devil. 

            But now when we come to Christ we are adopted back into the family of God.  Romans 8:14-17 tells us “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.  For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’  The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children then heirs – heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”  That is a lot of great stuff packed in a few words.

            First of all by coming to Christ we are no longer children of the devil but have been adopted into the glorious family of God.  We now belong to the home of God.  That is why when we get to Heaven we can look forward to our own room in His house.  We will actually live with God.

            Elsewhere in the writings of Paul we are called slaves to the Lord.  In one sense we are but only willingly.  But indeed we are children of the Father.  We no longer have to fear, because that is the rule of life the devil demanded when we were under his rule.  We were required to fear what might happen to us if we didn’t get it right.  What would our father the devil do if we were disobedient or not successful?  This is the picture Paul is painting.

            Now we don’t have to fear because we have been adopted by God.  We are actually His sons (women, this description as being a son is all inclusive as is the word “man” in the Bible.  It includes us all).  We are under His roof now.  We enjoy the privileges of being in His household.  We can feel safe just like a natural child feels when with his or her father.

            Then Paul uses the words “to whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’”  The word “Abba” indicates “personal father” or “Daddy.”  Many Christians don’t feel comfortable by saying this thinking it to be disrespectful but in reality God wants us to consider Him as our personal Father.  He wants us to depend on Him.  He loves us and desires that we feel safe just as a child does with their earthly father (of course that depends on how reliable the earthly father really is.  Many children, unfortunately, have a wrong picture of “father” because their earthly father has treated them so badly.  If this is the case then we can think of God as being the father we should have had). 

            We don’t have to fear.  Does this mean that nothing bad is ever going to happen to us again?  No it does not.  Bad things will come to all of us.  That is just a part of life.  And when we have been adopted into God’s family we may even experience more bad things because frankly the devil doesn’t want to lose us and especially lose us to God.  So he will turn up the heat.  But we don’t have to be afraid because no matter what comes our way when we have God as our personal Father everything that comes our way, good or bad, will turn out for our good.  I love my earthly father, but I am tremendously glad to have God as my personal Father.

Jerry D. Ousley is the author of ?Soul Challenge?, ?Soul Journey?, ?Ordeal?, ?The Spirit Bread Daily Devotional and his first novel ?The Shoe Tree.?  Visit our website at spiritbread.com to download these and more completely free of charge.