2016 | Week of November 28 | #1179
While the national and state media are now all abuzz over the presidential vote recount in The Badger State, I’m going to ignore it this week for the purpose of this commentary because I can’t let November go by without talking about adoption.
Annually, November is recognized as National Adoption Month. States run major campaigns encouraging people to adopt children who are in the foster-care programs. Private adoption agencies and often Pregnancy Resource Centers do all they can during this month to promote this wonderful, life-saving option to abortion. It’s all good and helpful, and I’m very glad it has been happening these last four weeks.
Adoption is an amazing example of grace. Human adoption makes a bad situation just about as good as it can possibly be as children receive a forever earthly family. That’s what grace is—unmerited favor—making something positive out of something negative.
In recognition of Adoption Month, the leader of my Sunday morning Adult Bible Fellowship did a short series she entitled “Rescue Adoptions in the Bible.” As someone who has personally experienced the grace of adoption when I was just 5 months old, I was of course intrigued by the topic.
We first looked at King Joash—who was the only survivor of wicked Queen Athaliah’s destruction of all of her sons and grandchildren who could possibly challenge her as ruler of Judah. Joash as a baby was rescued by his aunt and hid in the temple for 6 years while Athaliah reigned over the land. By the time Joash was 7, he became king. Had he not survived this horrendous slaughter done by his grandmother, the Davidic line would have ended—and God’s promise to David that though his line would come the Savior would have been thwarted.
Then we examined Moses, whose life was spared by Pharaoh’s daughter. This rescue adoption meant that God’s promise to Abraham that the children of Israel would be as numerous as the sand of the seashore and the stars in the heaven would be continued, and His promise that His chosen people would go to Egypt but He would eventually bring them into the Promised Land would become reality.
Queen Esther, an orphaned Jewess who was adopted by her cousin Mordecai was next. This rescue adoption ended up being the means by which God’s chosen people were saved from extinction. Esther put her life on the line at the urging of her adoptive father to approach the king about his ill-issued order at wicked Haman’s urging to exterminate the Jewish people throughout the entire empire.
Moving to the New Testament, we looked at an adoption of sorts in Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. This isn’t a rescue adoption in the same way as the others; but Joseph did, in obedience to the angel, kind of rescue Mary from public humiliation by going ahead and marrying her after she found out she was going to give birth to Jesus. As Mary’s husband, he stood by his wife and provided for his family and oversaw the upbringing of this virgin-born Son of God. Joseph taught Jesus carpentry, saw that He got to Jerusalem for Passover each year and in every way, except biologically, was a father to Him.
And of course, we have the beautiful New Testament spiritual adoption—the ultimate adoption, where God in His grace allows us as sinful people to become His children through the sacrificial death of His only begotten Son—and even to become joint-heirs with Jesus Christ.
So for Christians, I’d say adoption is in our spiritual DNA! Now what some need to do—and I’m speaking specifically to married men and women—is to begin asking God if there is a child somewhere they need to rescue? Is God calling you to be part of the grace of adoption, providing a forever earthly family for a child? If so, I pray you will following that divine prompting.
Wisconsin has a number of good adoption agencies. Among them are Bethany Christian and Evangelical Child and Family Agency. Bethany Christian has offices in Waukesha, West Allis and Fond du Lac, while Evangelical Child and Family works out of Milwaukee, Beloit/Janesville and Green Bay. These agencies are Christian organizations that would be thrilled to match up a child needing a rescue with a family wanting to rescue.
I’m glad I was rescued through adoption and my prayer is that over the next 12 months many children needing forever earthly families will be, in grace, rescued by dads and moms who will love them, provide for them, and nurture them.
For Wisconsin Family Council this is Julaine Appling reminding you the Prophet Hosea said, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”