Welcome to the Family

This week I watched a show about adults who had been adopted as children. These adults were now searching for their biological families. They wanted to know who they belonged to. They wanted to know where they came from. Most of the adults on this show had let it be known that they were extremely happy and grateful for the parents that adopted them. They were loved and all felt that they had a very good life. It's just that something was missing. Not only was there a missing piece to their specific puzzle, there was a curiosity in them all as well.

So, they would get help locating their biological families, whether they were finding parents or siblings. As some discovered, biological mom or dad had passed away already. Some of the biological families just weren't ready to talk to these adults. Some just wanted nothing to do with them. And of course there were stories of those who were welcomed with open arms and they were so happy that the child they gave up years ago for adoption had found them.

The one thing I noticed about this particular show, these adults looking for their families, were in their 40's. Most of them had been adopted 40 plus years ago. And some of them had trouble locating records. Some it depended on what state they were adopted from, what kind of information they could get. The detectives helping these people find their information would do what they could. If they couldn't get to records or find anything for these adopted people, they would have them use their DNA and see if they could find anyone that way. What I am getting at, is they always jumped through hoops or they would find a loophole to go through.

Well, this all got me thinking. I was thinking about when you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are adopted into God's family. Romans 10:9 says that if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord", and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. John 3:16 says For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 1:12 says Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

As we can see in John 1:12 we can become children of God, we are adopted into that family. And it's a great family to belong to. There's also a choice involved here as well. You can decide to be adopted or not. You can choose to accept Jesus or not. There is freewill. But, at the same time, it's so easy. We don't have to jump through hoops, though some think they do. We don't have to find a loophole with Jesus, He loves us right where we are at. There are plenty of scriptures about accepting Jesus, not one of them I saw, said be perfect, not one said, wait until you're done sinning like that. Not one showed any condemnation. You accept Jesus and you are a son or daughter. No questions asked.

If you are reading this and you aren't saved, you haven't accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, I would encourage you to do so. No guilt. No condemnation. Nothing is being forced. Perhaps it's the missing piece of your puzzle. Jesus loves and accepts us all. Ignore the people that say otherwise. Jesus always has open arms for you.

If you are saved, be kind to people. Be patient. Love them where they are at and quit condemning them. That isn't our job as Christians. Remember what it was like when you were adopted in the family, remember the day you made that decision. Just be the hands and feet like the Bible tells us and love on others.