AN ADOPTION STORY
In June, we are going to explore spiritual truth in some of the biggest movies that are in recent releases. Let me give a few disclaimers: (1) We are not endorsing these movies. However, we are considering the spiritual truth that is illustrated by scenes from these movies. (2) As a church, we need to realize and acknowledge that movies and media in general are a powerful force for ideas in our culture. Therefore, we need to examine some of the ideas and concepts found in the movies of our culture.
In the film, Despicable Me, there is a major theme of adoption and life change, as Gru the bad guy adopts three girls that change his heart.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will—.” Ephesians 1:3-5 NIV
Ephesians 1 gives us a long list of how great God is.
In Ephesians 1:5 we find out God adopts us. “He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will—.” He has a spiritual family for us. He wants to be our Heavenly Father. I like how one person said it about becoming a Christian: “Right next to your freedom papers are your adoption papers.” God not only wants to set you free from the penalty of your sin and free from your old life so you can be free to live for Him, and free from the consequences of all that, free for eternity–not only does He want to free you, He wants to sign your adoption papers. That’s amazing!
Adoption is very important to me because my wife, Alta Lynn was adopted.
An Adoption Story
Years ago, a ranching couple in tiny Gordon, Texas prayed that they would be able to adopt a little baby girl. They began the process: legal action, costs, paperwork, but it was anything but easy. Finally, the official day came when their little girl was going to legally join their family. All that needed to happen was for her to arrive from Korea. It was then that the bad news started coming.
“So sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Turner, but your new daughter has been kidnapped by a family member.” “We think she was kidnapped to be sold.” “We don’t know where she is.” “We will never be able to find her.” “Let us know how you would like to proceed.”
My in-laws did proceed, but not to resign themselves that Alta Lynn (her new name) would never be found. Instead, they asked their church family to gather and pray that she would be found.
So, they prayed and prayed, and a neighbor in Korea called the local police informing them that there was a baby hidden under a tub in the yard of the house next store. The police investigated and found…Alta Lynn.
The neighbor confessed to the police, and the baby was brought to the missionaries who were going to bring Alta Lynn to the United States. Then the missionaries reimbursed the family member who had stolen Alta Lynn the money she would have received if she had sold Alta Lynn.
And Alta Lynn became a daughter of H. D. and Josephine Turner—my father and mother-in-law.
Benefits We Enjoy From Being Adopted Into God’s Family:
Just as Alta Lynn received all privileges, obligations, and inheritance rights as a member of the Turner family, when we belong to Jesus, we too enjoy the privileges and inheritance rights of being adopted into God’s family.
*We are able to talk to God and relate to Him as a good and loving Father. You are deeply loved by God as His child. “We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.” 1 John 1:3 NLT
*We relate to other believers as members of our family. The church is a family. “Never speak harshly to an older man but appeal to him respectfully as you would to your own father. Talk to younger men as you would to your own brothers. Treat older women as you would your mother, and treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sisters.” 1 Timothy 5:1-2 NLT
*We honor our Father in heaven. We represent our Father by our actions, thoughts, and heart.
Lessons God Taught Me:
1. Adoption is a powerful reflection of God’s love. He first loved us, even while knowing our flaws, our failures, and our past. When we belong to Jesus, we are part of the family no matter what.
2. God’s plans are better than ours. God did surprising, hard, and amazing things for Alta Lynn to be adopted. God’s plan is best.
3. A price was paid. Though those missionaries didn’t have to pay that family member the amount she would have received from selling Alta Lynn but when Alta Lynn was found, they did. A great price was paid for every person by Jesus on the cross in order for anyone to have the opportunity to be a son or daughter of God.
4. God redeems. God is in the business of healing and redeeming.
5. God feels strongly about family. “God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure.” Ephesians 1:5 NLT. Part of the legal process of adoption includes the phrase “and she will be able to legally inherit”. To be added to a family and given a name and an inheritance is adoption, but also what we have when we belong to Jesus Christ.
For me, knowing Alta Lynn’s adoption story has opened my eyes to God in a way I never would have seen if adoption was not part of our lives.