If you have the chance to learn, learn from the best. There is no better parent; there is no better adoptive parent than the God of the Bible.
For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” Romans 8:15
But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Galatians 4:4-5
The adoption story of the Church of Jesus Christ began in the garden when we rebelled. When we looked upon God and his infinite goodness, and all the joy and peace and love that he offered and yet we chose to turn away. The story has its apex on the cross where Jesus, the son of God took upon himself the punishment that we all deserve. The day that he rightly declared “it is finished”. And the story finds its fullness on Easter Sunday. When he rose from the dead, conquering sin and death and offering eternal life, eternal joy, and a reconciled eternal position as a son, or as a daughter in the family of God.
We can sit and enjoy the good news of Jesus for all of eternity and never run out of things to learn but for adoptive parents there is one aspect of the adoption offered in the Gospel of Jesus that you can’t miss.
No part of the good news is earned. No part of our adoption is up to us. No part of our right standing before God is due to our own merits. And no part of his love can be bought with money or good deeds.
It is not a merit relationship. It’s a grace relationship. It’s an I love you no matter what relationship. All the merit you needed and all that I needed was that of Jesus who freely offered himself on the cross, where our adoption was accomplished.
It is the testimony of scripture that God himself will “exult over (his people) with loud singing” (Zephaniah 3:17). I have done nothing that should move the King of all things to bat an eye, let alone to sing in exultation over me. Yet he will do it.
There is nothing better than to be loved like that.
So take a lesson from the very best. Let your relationship with your child be a grace relationship. Let it be free and let it be great.
Contact Adoption Arkansas for questions about the adoption process in Arkansas.