Lives Transformed

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege to spend 10 days with these precious girls and their family. When spending time with adoptive families, I am always amazed to see the transformations that take place in the lives of a child and family through adoption, but nothing quite drives it home like watching children's adoption and "gotcha day" videos. These girls were so excited to show me the videos of their arrival into this family, and as I sat down to watch, I was struck with a more fuller realization of what had really taken place in their young lives. On both videos, I saw a little baby brought in, her life empty of a family's love. She had no mommy's hand to clutch, no daddy's shoulders to be supported by, no brothers and sisters to tickle her tummy and teach her to smile and laugh. She was abandoned, her tiny heart already fragile and broken. I saw a woman and a man, both nervous and excited, step forward from the back of the room to meet this little one, smiles wide and arms outstretched. I saw the flurry of activity as the dark-eyed baby girl was passed to the couple's waiting arms. I saw smiles and tears, cries and laughs flow as the three people realized all that had been lost and gained in the past few minutes. Farther along in the video, I saw the baby miraculously change as new life and love surged through her. Her eyes were shining, her face broke a smile, her hands rested on her mommy's shoulders or wrapped themselves around her daddy's neck. I saw siblings greet this little girl, eager to smother her with kisses and snuggles. Turning my eyes away from the video, I looked down at the two little dark-haired, bow-adorned little heads beside me on the couch and could scarcely believe that they were the same two babies that these videos had begun with. They have been radically changed and made new because one family said "yes" to their deepest, earthly needs for love and belonging. And I'm reminded that our lives, as children adopted into the family of the Most High God, should be similarly transformed when God says "yes" to us. We should bear little resemblance to our former selves, but instead be filled with new life, new love, and new attitudes inspired by and produced for our Father and His glory.

A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation. God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land. (Psalm 68:5-6)

Praise God for such a Father!