Adopted By God

As a foster and adoptive father, Romans 8:14-16 seems packed with meaning.

Romans 8:14-16
"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, 'Abba, Father.' The Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God."

Most children in state care got there through neglect and abuse, just as we arrived at our need for salvation through wandering in an abusive and neglectful world. These children are plagued by fear and loss, which drives their lives. Even once adopted they often continue to to view the family and world with suspicion. There is a constant anxiety that the other shoe will drop; that this all will end; that you really cannot love me like that.

Their fear and loss drives them not only to mistrust those that love them, but also to act out, and do those things that they know are wrong and hurtful. This is a test, and a quest for constant attention.

It seems that many Christians reflect this same mistrust of God. After our adoption, we cannot trust that kind of love. It cannot be that all encompassing. God must have reserved wrath for me, and that shoe is bound to drop, sometime. So, fear drives our life and relationship with God. Also, we find ourselves inexplicably acting out, sinning despite our own understanding of its destructive potential. We try to draw God's attention and wrath, even as we fear it. Better that than the helpless waiting for the day when the love just ends on its own.

There are Christians who seem trapped in the doom of God's imminent wrath, still. They have not understood their Father. I do not think that they trust His love. For these, life is a set of strict (or even impossible) rules that God will bless you for following, and curse you for the smallest infraction of.

We cannot seem to comprehend that God's wrath has been taken away, and we are now his children. We have His agape love, forever.

Let me be clear. We should fear God, as a child fears their loving parents (as I feared my parents). I did not fear that they would destroy me, but I feared that they would withhold some blessing. I feared that they would punish me, as parents do those they love. More than anything else, I feared that they would be disappointed.

We should fear God, but it should not be the defining characteristic of our relationship with him. That should be love.

God offers his broken children permanent, healing love, in the hope that one day they will come to truly trust in it; that one day we will cry out, "Abba (Daddy), Father", with all our heart.