So many of our friends are in the process of adopting or have recently brought home their new family members.  It is always exciting to hear the stories and, once again, be reminded or our own spiritual adoption by our Heavenly Father.

A couple Sundays ago one of our Associate Pastors preached on adoption from Romans 8 and it was FANTASTIC.  A friend of his recently returned from Uganda with two sons and Ben used their story, and words from their personal emails, to illustrate the points being made in scripture.  Ben is a really gifted teacher and often says things that God uses to touch my heart; this particular Sunday was no different.

After discussing the way these two boys were used to living before their new life began, Ben read a portion of an email where his friend wrote asking for prayer.  The boys were misbehaving and correction was necessary, but in light of the lifestyle “norm” of fighting to survive, the topic of correction and discipline was a tough one.  Their new mommy wrote and asked for prayer that these boys would “learn how to be loved”.  I think I audibly gasped.

The journey of becoming is a tough road for sure.  Remembering that God is at work to make us more like Himself isn’t always easy and I often get bogged down in the daily struggles and the fight to make it.  If I am honest, it is hard for me to feel loved by our Father when the pain of earth living becomes overwhelming.  I want His love for me to look a certain way and push certain buttons; I care more about the way I feel NOW than the result of being like my Father.  Oh that I would “learn how to be loved.”  To know that the pain of discipline is reflective of His deep love for me. . . To remember that He withholds many things because He knows what the truer blessing is. . . To trust that He will not let me go. . . He has called me by name. . . I am his. I’ve been adopted and He loves me!

The sermon is free on iTunes if you want to have a listen. . . it is truly a gift of a sermon.  Click here!