i'm adopted, and i'm okay

Recently I mentioned my maternal grandfather in a post (bring a torch) and since then I have been thinking about him quite a bit.  Grandpa Robert was adopted.  My great grandparents were childless, but they didn't accept that.  They chose to be parents...through adoption.  I am so grateful that they made that decision; I wouldn't be here otherwise!

He passed away when I was only four, so I never heard from him his own feelings on the subject.  I have the honor of possessing that cherished document, however, and I have read it more than once.  His adoption 'papers' are now more than one hundred years old, and must be handled with care, for they represent not only him, but my mother, myself, my children, my grandchildren, and that one precious great grand!  It's certain that none of us would be here at all if he had not first been adopted. 

Dropped off at a Montana state orphanage when he was barely four years old, he knew nothing of where he came from.  His adopting parents knew nothing of his past; and they would have ignored it anyway.  Their desire to bring him into their lives forever outweighed any knowledge of where he'd come from.  It simply didn't matter.  He belonged to them now.  He was a Colton.

I'm actually adopted, too.  I have a heavenly Father and when he saw my miserable condition, it did not matter to Him where I'd been or what I'd done; He only knew that His desire to bring me into His dear family was greater than the sum of any knowledge of my past!

Consider Paul's message in Romans 8:14-17.
" 14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 
  15) For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, 'Abba, Father.'
  16) The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
  17) And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together."
Can it be any plainer?

To complete the adoption process, there are legal fees that must be paid.  My debt was stamped PAID-IN-FULL the very instant that Jesus breathed the words..."It is finished."  That was hundreds of years before I was even born.  All that was left for me to do was accept His generous offer, and when the time came, I did exactly that.  If you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, too, the debt was paid.

It simply doesn't matter where you're from or what you've done; His love is greater, always was...always is...always will be!  And since we are sons now, we are joint-heirs with Jesus!  Think about all that means!  It truly overwhelms me at times.  Jesus was there first.  He knows first-hand what pleases the Father, and unlike some human siblings, He's not jealous of us.  Instead, He shares what He knows that we might learn quickly:  (Matthew 8:44-45a)
" 44) But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
 45) That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven..."

That, my friends, is a clause from our adoption papers!  If you want everyone to know who your Father is, then show it!  Be like Jesus, who was the first-born of many!  Yes, I'm adopted, and I'm okay with that!