Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Child Adopted!

Our son sat wide-eyed, mesmerized by the mysterious legal proceedings. He was all of 6 years old, dressed in his first suit and tie, a toy soldier in one pocket and a Hot Wheels car in the other. Adoption Day.

"Hear ye! Hear Ye! All rise! This court is now in session. The honorable judge presiding."

Long before the earth's foundation was created, before the first day, the earth was formless and void. Darkness was over the deep and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.

Even then, God had His people in mind.  He had settled on people as the focus of His love.  He would create them to be whole, blameless and holy before Him, a people of His own possession.

When people chose lives of sin rather than relationship with God, He decided to adopt us into His family through Jesus. It is an open invitation to sinners, to everyone,. When we were still sinning, Jesus died for the ungodly.

A gavel sounded three times. The courtroom was silent. The judge smiled at my husband and me, then looked straight into the eyes of a child.

"You are now their child, their son, with all the rights and privileges thereof."

Hear ye! Hear ye! All rise."

Court was adjourned. It was finished.

According to the paperwork, a sealed legal document, the adoption was complete and final. His old life was over. His new life had begun. A new birth certificate was sealed and delivered as proof of identity. Hopes soared. And then there was rejoicing.

Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, He had His eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose He is working out in everything and everyone. (The Message, Ephesians 1:11, 12)

 What pleasure a person takes in preparing the way for adoption! What celebration and lavish gift giving!

Hear ye! Hear ye! All rise!

All heaven is silent.  The King is coming! Angels watch, mesmerized by this mysterious legally binding contract; this mystery, grace; they long to understand.

One soul is redeemed, bought back from sin, adopted into the family of God. 

Where once a person stood alone, rejected, destined for grief, now stands a person who is in the family of God, forgiven, accepted, destined for joy. The Holy Spirit, the Life breath of God, is sealed and delivered as proof of identity, 

Amazing grace! I once was lost, but now am found! Redeemed. Redeemed. His child, and forever, I am!

I am the adopted child of the King of Kings. I am His princess.