In about 12 hours from now we'll be in court to adopt our son. He's about 18 months old, and he's been a part of our family since he was six weeks old. I can't remember a time when we introduced him as or even considered him our "foster" son. He's always been our son.
When we leave the courtroom tomorrow morning, two things will change. The first is that we'll have much more free time. No more monthly home visits from our agency and from CPS. No more submitting parent logs, prescription logs, medical forms, dental forms, clothing inventories, and so on. The second, and more importantly, is that he'll have a new identity. He'll be the same boy, but he'll have a new name.
I can't help but make the connection to a new life in Christ. When we trust in Jesus, we keep the same body, personality, etc. But we receive a new identity. We are no longer strangers or foreigners, but sons and heirs.
Before he came into our home, our son didn't have the brightest future in front of him. His birth mom and her mother were both drug addicts. It's unlikely he would have received the attention, support, love and education we can provide. We are glad that we've been able to give him a mom and dad that love him, three big sisters that adore him, as well as grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles and a church family to love and support him.
I didn't have much hope before I was adopted into God's family either. My future looked dark. My parents and grandparents were born sinners as well, deserving of the same death I deserve. But...
A new dad came to the rescue, a Heavenly Father. A price was paid for me that changed my destiny. I received a new identity in Christ. The old had gone, the new had come! Tomorrow is step one of my son's new identity. Step two will be even greater, when he puts his trust in Jesus Christ.
Adoption is a beautiful thing.
