Adopted by God

John 1:12-13 (NLT)

¹² But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. ¹³ They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

This verse tells us that all who believed and accepted Jesus Christ were given the right to become children of God; that is they became adopted by God to live as His children in His kingdom.

The other day I listened as my wife told a story of a man who was about to marry a woman who had a child. The father of the child had deserted them and had no interest in them.

Seeking to marry this woman, the father of this man, being a Godly person, told his son, “If you marry this woman, you also assume responsibility for her girl as she has no one of her own.”

The man carefully listened to his father. He married the woman and later adopted the girl. She was treated as she was his very own. She was always considered the first child in their family; even as they had more children. This girl learned the love of a father who adopted her without question, who loved her and respected her as one of her own.

My wife said the girl turned out to be a woman who understood the accepting love of another and never had a problem accepting the love of God the Father.

Give thanks to God who out of your belief of His Son takes you to be one of His adopted heirs.