I was scrolling through Facebook this morning and saw a post from a friend of mine paying tribute to her father. Today is his birthday, and she wrote how she could not put into words the love, admiration and honor she has for him; how he’d always been there for her, and that he was a heroic example of husband, father, grandfather and friend. I know that when my friend hears that God is our Father, she has no trouble picturing Him as the loving presence that He is.
Not everyone has so easy a time doing that.
Our culture has drifted such that an intact wholesome family is more the exception than the norm. And the tragedy of that is that so many children are growing up with a skewed perspective of what a father is. No wonder, if theirs only sees them sporadically, or has abandoned them altogether.
My “dad” abandoned me. Or maybe he never even knew I existed. You see, he was a 16 year old kid who impregnated his even younger girlfriend. At least that’s what I’ve been told. All I know is that she was staying in a facility for unwed mothers until I was born, and then they walked away.
And so, I am an adopted child. I stayed in the orphanage for about three months, until my parents took me home. And while I always knew I was adopted, it was never an issue. My mom was my mom and my dad was my dad. My dad provided for me, guided me, taught me and disciplined me just as if I were carrying his DNA. As a child, he was my hero, and I was definitely a Daddy’s girl. He taught me the love of the outdoors, how to ride and care for a horse, how to take a fall, and how to get back in the saddle after I had done so. He taught me how to drive and how to hold a door open for someone; how to be generous and how a stranger was just a friend to whom you hadn’t yet spoken. There was nothing my father couldn’t do. There was nothing he couldn’t fix. He was not perfect, for he was but a man, but I never doubted his great love for me. And when he died a little over a year ago, everything he had was mine. I was his heir—what he owned, I owned. The fact that I was his adopted daughter meant nothing; it’s as if the adjective didn’t even exist—I WAS His daughter.
So not only do I have a great example of a father, I have an inside track on what it means to be an adopted child. I wasn’t just handed to my father, he chose me. He sought me out, and picked me.
Me.
God does too. The Bible tells us that God has adopted us as His very own offspring.
He chose us in him before the foundation of the world…. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will —Ephesians 1:4-5
What does it mean to adopt? To take by choice into a relationship, especially to take voluntarily; to choose or take as one’s own–make one’s own by selection or assent. And what does assent mean? To agree to something, especially after thoughtful consideration.
Thoughtful consideration. Adopting us was not God’s plan B—it was His intent from the beginning.
He predestined. The Message version says that “Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind.”
How comforting it is to know that even though an earthly father can abandon us and leave us feeling worthless and unwanted, that the Creator of the Universe planned us. Planned ME. Desired ME and He knit me together in my mother’s young womb. Those kids may not have wanted me, but HE did. And He did so with purpose. Ephesians goes on to say in the second chapter that we are “God’s handiwork” and that were created to do good works, “which God prepared in advance for us to do.” In advance. We are not an afterthought.
My birth parents did not plan me. To them I was a mistake. But to God, I am His beautiful creation, hand-made for the purpose of His glory. Makes it a little hard to feel worthless under those circumstances.
As God’s adopted child—just as with my earthly adoptive dad—everything that is His is mine. The difference is that I don’t have to wait for death to take possession of it. Everything God is, everything He has to offer—His grace, His mercy, His love, patience, goodness and peace—it’s all mine. Right now. It is mine because I am His.
As the song says, He is a good, good Father. Anyone who has trouble reconciling God as their father may not have had the best example of one here on earth. But we cannot form our opinion of a perfect God based on the actions of an imperfect man. Men are flawed.
Our God is not.
If you have a child, think of how you felt when you first held him. That indescribable joy. The overwhelming emotion. The realization that you didn’t even know that such love existed—remember that feeling? That’s how God feels about YOU. And so much more. All the time. YOU are His child.
And He is a good, good Father.
One of my favorite verses is 1 Samuel 12:22 ” because God was Pleased to make you his own” when I ponder that verse it truly amazes me that my Heavely Father is actually pleased that I am his. How humbling that has been to me. Your post personifies this. And I hope you know you made me cry. I love you my sister. Anyone who knows you is blessed and I’m proud to call u my sister, my friend and my family ❤️
Ah yes…I was so blessed again, when I was adopted into YOUR family!! Love you.
And you, my friend, are a good, good writer. This is perfection in every way. It was all your usual writing skill but this….this you put yourself in. So personal and beautiful.
So, you are saying I need to step INTO the map, eh? Thank you for your words–and know that your love and support mean the world to me.
Just beautiful.
What? No, “I told you so”–?? haha. Thank you. Yours is yet another family that God so graciously allowed me to be adopted into. Love you guys.
Wow…your amazing! Thank you for sharing your beautiful heart!
God is amazing…how can we not want to share? Thank you, by the way.
WOWWWWW just wowwww……THIS is by far my FAVORITE writing of yours TO DATE!
THIS…..oh my heart!
Love and miss you my sweet friend❤️
I am giggling as I read this! Every new one is your favorite!! I thank you so much for your passion about this which is so evident in your comment. My deepest desire is to stir a heart and draw it to the One who made it. I become a puddle just thinking that that could possibly be true, and I appreciate your placing the “wet floor” sign nearby. Love you.
Okay okay okay, you’re right lol. I love your writing and ALL are nothing short of amazing…..BUTTTTTT SERIOUSLY…..THIS one has taken FIRST place! Jus sayin’ 😉
XOXO
Oh…my……. I am lost for words! Plus I can’t see through the tears! Wow, wow, wow….
Just when I think I have my favorite “Sherri Nugget” you come out with a new gem! This is my favorite!
This hits home in so many ways…from the abuse and abandonment of my birth father, to foster after foster (wondering why I wasn’t worthy or good enough to be wanted), to finally being chosen and loved by my adopted (and true) daddy. Then finding my Ultimate Daddy, who waited eagerly for me to find my way back to Him.
How precious it is to know that not only does He love me, but He WANTS me! He anxiously looks forward our time together.
Thank you for sharing not just “a blog” but a piece of you with us. I love you you “sister”!
PS….I gotta call my daddy tomorrow!
Oh Rubes, I did so think of you as I was writing that. I am sure it resonates with so, so many. How amazing it is that our God wants to pick up the precious gem that is us, and personally wash away the dirt and scuff marks left by the abuses of this world. When we finally…..FINALLY get that concept, it is then that we begin to shine as the jewel we were meant to be, because we are reflecting His light. Thank you so much for your love and support–so blessed to be doing this life with you, Ruby Jewel!!
Beautiful….words cannot express it. Thank-you for sharing your testimony, it really touched home!!!!!! Such a good heart! I’ll have a “Wet Floor” sign for all of us!
Danielle, read my reply to Ruby. YOU, my precious friend are the pearl that is found amongst a multitude of oysters. Every oyster in the family has the ability to make a pearl, but not all do. Some will form small, uneven, misshapen gems. And then there is you—set apart from the rest—who in the depths and darkness of the bottom of the sea, produces a treasure so exquisite, so precious, that so greatly reflects the light that others can only gape in awe at the magnitude of the brilliance. I am so blessed and honored and LOVED because of you. I love you.
TEARS, TEARS TEARS — I am so overwhelmed and moved by your writing Sherri.
Not only are you a good good author
your a good good woman
your a good good friend
your a good good sister
and how honored and blessed I am to call you all the above, as well as having you in my life doing life with you — my sister from a different mother but the same FATHER.
And I just had a good, good cry. Love you so much.
My top favorite song has become Good Good Father because the words alone says enough. You never cease to amaze me with your writing Sherri. Thank you so much for allowing God to use you to bless us with this! This is truly a blessing and you are as well!
Thank you my dear, sweet, radiant friend. That radiance by the way, is the light of Christ shining in you. You are such a joy to be around, simply because of His joy inside of you. Love you!!
I too had a wonderful example of a good father in my darling dad. It makes it easy for me to see my Heavenly Father as an unconditionally loving one. I am forever in awe of those for whom “father” was maybe a negative thing growing up and are still able to see God as the one who loves them and will ALWAYS love them.
Oh yes Peggy, you most certainly did! Earl was one of a kind, and kind to every one. Your answer makes me think of John 20:29–….blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. Therein lies the crux of faith. Love you so much!!