Adopted Children of God

Earlier this month my son turned 42.  Hard to believe. I remember the day we brought him home. He said, “I’m going to call you daddy.”  Now don’t start to question my truthfulness or my sanity. He really did. You see, my wife and I were first his foster parents, and later we adopted him. He was two-years-old when we first met him. As we were driving home he asked, “Are you going to be my daddy? I’m going to call you daddy.”

            In that moment I could not understand why my windshield wipers weren’t working properly. They weren’t clearing the water so that I could see. Because it was not raining. I was weeping tears of joy. 

            You see, for almost four years prior to this day we had been hoping to have a baby.  We could not understand what was wrong. I wrote an article that was published in a magazine called, Home Life, that the editors entitled, “We Mourn Every Month.” And indeed, we did mourn every month.

            But on that morning we received a call from the Department of Family Services in our county.  We went to their office, and within a couple of hours we were on our way home. We were so unprepared. The previous week we had completed all of the required training, and then we were told, “It will be at least six months, and probably more than a year before we place a child in your home.” Right. It was five days.

            On the way home we stopped at, “Toys-R-Us.” Remember them?  We bought a Big Wheel and a plastic baseball and bat. And we went home.  Perhaps the only other day to compare with that one was the day when his daughter was born.  Both occasions were joyful beyond measure. 

            The Bible declares that God has adopted us as His children. At least that is true for those who have trusted in His Son. “He has given us the spirit of adoption whereby we cry, ‘Abba, Father,’” Paul wrote.  I pray that you have experienced that wonderful moment where you know that you are a child of God.

            You know…not many folks can claim that their son talked to them on the day they first drove him home.  Of course, he was not a child prodigy. But he was quite special to me. Still is today. Happy birthday, Son.