A sweet, sweet gift

We found out in early June that a beautiful gift might be coming to our family. It was something that my daughter and son-in-law had hoped and prayed for a very long time. Two days later they were chosen by the birth parents. Five days later a perfect little baby boy was born.

We all gathered at the hospital, and my daughter and son-in-law brought the long awaited and beautiful miracle home.

Two weeks later Luke was officially theirs–and ours as well.

Now that I’ve been through this process, I treasure even more these words:

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.” Romans 8:14-16

I love how The Message words it:

This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are.

We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what’s coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we’re certainly going to go through the good times with him!

You see, we didn’t know his name, or what he might look like, or what his ethnicity might be. We didn’t know how old he would be, or even if it would be a boy or a girl.

[bctt tweet=”The resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike, “What’s next, Papa?” https://wp.me/p4jbdw-VG” username=”suzanneeller”]

All we knew is that this child was wanted. Loved. Prayed for. Hoped for. . .

Gramma Suzie and Luke

Long before my daughter and son-in-law held him in their arms, they treasured this child. Now that he is a reality after years of waiting, I’ve watched as these new parents have changed diapers, yelped at the poop fountain that erupts almost every time they remove his diaper, and slog through sleep-deprived nights.

He’s still wanted. Still treasured. Still loved. Still a miracle in every way.

Sometimes we look at God and wonder if we are a bother. After all, we’re a handful at times. Messy. A work in progress. But if Scripture says that I’m adopted, then that means that God loves me and you like Josh and Melissa love Luke, but in a God-like measure.

Greater than we can imagine.

What does that mean to you, to me?

That we never have to try to figure out who we are, if we are a child of God.

We’re wanted. Loved. Longed for. God holds us close, even as he teaches, shapes, and lead us.

He’s our Abba Father.

I love that.

Suzie

Abba is an intimate term for Father.

Q: If you had a harsh dad or an absentee dad, this can tarnish the word “father.” How does your Heavenly Father differ from an earthly dad, even a good one?

Memory Verse

Galatians 4:6 – “Because you are sons and daughters, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!'”