6 Nov, 2009

"To Affirm The We Are God's Children"

November is National Adoption Month.

Here's an excerpt from President Obama's declaration ...

All children deserve a safe, loving family to protect and care for them. In America, thousands of young people are waiting for that opportunity. During National Adoption Month, we honor those families that have strengthened America through adoption, and we recommit to reducing the number of children awaiting adoption into loving families.

America is a country rich in resources and filled with countless caring men and women who hope to adopt. These individuals come from all walks of life, united in their commitment to love a child who is in need of the protective arms of a parent. We must do more to ensure that adoption is a viable option for them. By continually opening up the doors to adoption, and supporting full equality in adoption laws for all American families, we allow more children to find the permanent homes they yearn for and deserve.

Read the full proclamation at: whitehouse.gov

Romans 8:14-16 (New Living Translation)

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.

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.” 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.

What does God's Story teach us about adoption?

Do you know anyone who is adopted?  Maybe you are one of the many in this country who have been adopted.  I, too, was adopted.  My mother remarried when I was eleven years old.  My step-father adopted me when I was fourteen, making him my legal father.  My name changed that day.  As a matter of fact, I was issued a brand new birth certificate stating that my new name had been my name all along.  It was almost as if my "old name" had never even existed.

When I read today's God's Story Scripture, and think about what it means to be adopted, I am even more amazed at God's Story.  That when we begin our relationship with Jesus, the Heavenly Father adopts us as His own children.  He forgives and forgets our "old name" of Sinner, and gives us a new name of "Christian."  It's as if the old name never even existed.  Definitely Amazing!!

Connecting My Story to God's Story
  • Thank God for adopting you as his own child today, for giving you new life!
  • Are you holding on to something from your old life?  Is it time to let go of whatever that might be?  Ask God to help you forgive and forget your own sin, just like He has.

Connecting Today's Story, My Story, and God's Story to My Friend's Story

  • Do you have a friend who has been adopted?  Talk with them today about their adoption process. 
  • Allow that conversation to point you toward talking about God's Story and His desire to adopt "lost" children as his own.
  • Talk to some parents who have adopted a child.  Take a bold step and let that conversation lead to a conversation about God's Story.
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The Daily Bide is brought to you by a team of writers from Youth for Christ/USA. The writers all have various years of experience in youth ministry but share a common bond in serving Jesus and discovering what it means to abide deeply everyday and to connect God's Story with those around them. A number of the Daily Bide writers have also written portions of our 3Story® resources. You can check out our resources at the 3Story.org website or connect with our writers at 3story@yfc.net. If you have a question or a story you would like to share, please reference the Daily Bide date in your email.

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