Why We're Adopting: Reasons 4-7

Adoption is hard. We need these rock solid reasons as a reminder in difficult times. That being said, I hope it is also abundantly clear that it is our joy and our delight to adopt. I can't think of anything better than holding our sweet little Ethiopian baby!

I also hope that it is never perceived that we view adoption as a way of earning God's favor. The only favor and acceptance we have from God was earned by Christ. Our adoption is not an attempt to tip the scales in our favor.  Jesus already did that.

So, here are reasons 4- 7 (from our original letter to our families-see earlier posts for other reasons):

• “Father of the fatherless…is God in his holy habitation. God settles the solitary in a home” (Psalm 68:5-6). God’s heart is full of love and concern for the fatherless. He is the Father of the fatherless. Maybe he has decreed that we would be his means for caring for the fatherless; maybe our home is to be a place for “the solitary.”
• God tells us that caring for orphans is “religion that is pure and undefiled.” God has given us the desire for holiness. Taking orphans into our home is a way to give pure expression to these desires.
• Adoption is a way for us to have a small mission field in our home. We bring a child from another nation into our home, teach them the Gospel, and live it out before them. Since we have been married, we have prayed that we would be used by God to expand his kingdom. Maybe this is part of the answer to that prayer.
• We do not want to waste our lives. We do not want to live for ourselves. “Lay down your small ambitions!”…this is the cry of our hearts. But it’s also the cry of God’s heart: “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) “Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.” (1 Corinthians 5:8-9). Adoption is one way for us to pursue a life that would glorify God.