Adoption is in God's Plan

Adoption. What a beautiful concept. And it was God's idea! It is how God chose to create a family for Himself to be the object of His eternal love and affection (Ephesians 1:5CloseEphesians 1:5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) ;Romans 8:15CloseRomans 8:15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.* Now we call him, "Abba, Father."* OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) ). In fact, all throughout history, God has woven adoption into His divine plan.

Consider Esther: A young Jewish girl was taken into exile along with her family to Babylon, where she was adopted by her elder cousin Mordecai who, “had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.” (Esther 2:7CloseEsther 2:7 This man had a very beautiful and lovely young cousin, Hadassah, who was also called Esther. When her father and mother died, Mordecai adopted her into his family and raised her as his own daughter. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) ). This girl would become Queen Esther whom God used to facilitate the deliverance of her people. While an evil advisor was hell-bent on exterminating them, Ether's wise adopted father challenged her with these famous words,

“And who knows if perhaps you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14CloseEsther 4:14 If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?" OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) )

How about Moses: Born at a time when the Pharaoh of Egypt, fearing a rebellion, put to death all newborn Israelite boys. But baby Moses escaped when he was adopted by the Pharaoh’s own daughter. In time, God would use Moses to deliver the entire nation of Israel from slavery.

"The cry of the people of Israel has reached me, and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians abuse them. Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.” (Exodus 3:9-10CloseExodus 3:9-10 Look! The cry of the people of Israel has reached me, and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians abuse them. Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt." OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) )

And Jesus! Even Jesus was adopted! When Joseph learned Mary was pregnant (and knew the child wasn’t his), he hoped to spare her a scandal and planned to call off the engagement. But God came to Joseph in a dream.

“As Joseph considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. ‘Joseph, son of David,’ the angel said, ‘do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’” (Matthew 1:20-21CloseMatthew 1:20-21 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. "Joseph, son of David," the angel said, "do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus,* for he will save his people from their sins." OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) )

And so Joseph took Mary as his wife.

Long before time began, God planned a rescue mission. And throughout history, He has weaved adoption into His salvation story.

"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!' So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God." (Galatians 4:4-7CloseGalatians 4:4-7 But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.* And because we* are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, "Abba, Father."* Now you are no longer a slave but God's own child.* And since you are his child, God has made you his heir. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) )

Praise our Lord for His kindness and goodness and that He chooses to adopt us into His loving embrace!

Adoption: some call it “Plan B,” but I see “God’s Plan.”

Copyright © 2021 by Shadia Hrichi, author of LEGION: Rediscovering the God Who Rescues Me and HAGAR: Rediscovering the God Who Sees Me. Used by permission.