I received a call from our daughter Kate the other morning asking if I was available to care for our sick granddaughter while she went to work. I welcome the chance to be with Katelynn. After fifteen minutes of hugging and kissing time and a little breakfast I knew that “Grandma Time” made all sickness disappear. Katelynn and I enjoy talking, cleaning, playing and working together, that morning our project was wrapping present for Christmas. After our work was done we sat in our rocking chairs to just talk. We always talk about the most important things on Katelynn’s mind. That morning was no different. She asks me “Am I the only adopted child in the family?” I told her that she was and that made her a very special child in the family. We as a family had chosen to welcome her and love her and feel no different about her than any other child.
Today as I sat in my rocking chair recalling our conversion yesterday I realized I missed great opportunity to tell her about how we are all adopted children of God if we have accepted Jesus as Our Lord and Savior. That God the Father opened His heart and welcomed us and loves us as He loves his own Son Jesus. I feel very safe in His love for me and He has always been there for me in my time of need. He accepts me He will never leave me.
When Katelynn’s Mom and Dad adopted her, they stood before a judge and told the court they would care for her and love her and would never disown her. Adoption is a powerful commitment before the law, the child and God. You can disown your natural child but not an adopted child… God the Father has made the same commitment to me. Ephesians 1:4, 5 “Long ago, even before He (God) made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave Him great pleasure.” Wow!!!!!!!! God’s plan was always to adopt me and that brings Him great pleasure. I’m a wanted child, loved child, a valued child. I can close my eyes and see God the Father looking at me smiling because I’m His kid.
This is the time of year celebrating the birth of Jesus. I’m thankful for that birth, His life, His death and resurrection for me. Christmas is a wonderful warm and beautiful time. The crucifixion was a hard and difficult time. Because of the resurrection I have the assurance that I will see my Jesus face to face and all my loved ones that have gone on before me. I celebrate Christmas because I know that little baby grew up and 33 years later was the man that suffers and died for me, but arose from the dead. I know that Jesus is my Brother, Savior, Lord and I’m God the father’s adopted child.
Merry Christmas
Penny Doss
pdoss777@earthlink.net