Framing the Picture

 

Allow me to introduce you to Adoption: A Perfect Picture.

Our family has been touched by adoption in nearly every way.  Through both the joy and the pain we've experienced, God has revealed powerful truths to us time and time again.  In essence, adoption is a perfect picture of God's own family.

Each time we opened our hearts and home to a new child, the Lord revealed to us the way He opens His heart and home to us when we become His child. 

Each time our precious children--the very ones who captured our hearts from the moment we first knew of them-- disobeyed or rebelled against our authority, we felt such pain and frustration.  We knew what was best for them, but their own decisions brought them pain and frustration.  But, each time the Lord reminded us of how even the pain is included in this perfect portrait of His own heart as it breaks time and time again when we, His children, choose to ignore His instruction and rebel against His authority.

When our children married and had children of their own, we were so proud--so happy to see life beget life.  We could only imagine the joy our Father feels each time we lead another lost soul to find new life in Jesus Christ.

The parallels aren't a stretch at all--the picture is perfect!  Through the portrait of adoption, we see the perfect parallel of our relationship with the Father, our home in His Kingdom, and our journey toward adapting to our new family (the family of God).

While we will be talking about the adoption process--the pain of rejection, the joy of reunion, and all its challenges--I hope to help us all zoom in on the perfect picture we see in our own adoption into the Family of God.

The new monthly column will debut on August 31st.  In the meantime, please join me in Christian Women Take Root as we meet in our Adoption: A Perfect Picture Group on the discussion forum.