Adopted into His family

By CHERYL CRUCE

He was 9 years old when he walked into the school with the social worker handling his case. He had years of foster care, constantly changing homes and schools; why should this time be different?
His bright green Ninja Turtle sweater matched the brightness of his smile, and he quickly made friends despite his learning disabilities. Before long, his fourth-grade classmates became his protectors as Phillip became known throughout our small country school.
I worked as a teacher’s assistant in the third-grade classroom and the Physical Education department. Our youngest daughter, Tiffany, was in Phillip’s class. She constantly talked about the funny things he did. It was apparent that the two had become good friends, although I did not realize how deep the bond would be nor how long it would last.
During recess, Phillip often sat beside me, and we would talk about different things. Then, one day, at the top of the concrete steps, he reached for my hand, looked up with those crystal blue eyes, and said, “I want you to be my mommy.” Looking down at the innocence of this young child, those seven words pierced my heart and soul.
What was I thinking? My twins were in 8th grade, Tiffany was in fourth grade, and our family was complete. It would be impossible to add another child, especially a child with disabilities. However, concerns about adoption vanished when I watched Tiffany and Phillip play together. With only 10 months separating them in age, it would be like having two sets of twins.
As we started the adoption process, Tiffany and Phillip searched baby books for his new name. In April 1997, Phillip became a desired member of our family.
Adoption is a beautiful word. Yet it comes with other words like: “unadoptable,” “permanent issues,” “disabilities,” and “lifelong commitment.” At his age, Phillip was considered unadoptable because of his learning disabilities, his medications, and his extended time in foster care. However, something about the love of family and sibling experiences made those words disappear. Phillip needed our home, and our home needed Phillip.
Adoption is as old as scripture. King David adopted Jonathon’s disabled child, Mephibosheth, bringing him to his dinner table (2nd Samuel 9). In the same manner, God desires to adopt us into His family (Ephesians 1:5), inviting us to His dining table (Revelation 19:9). Through our faith in Jesus, we become His children (Galatians 3:26). We are redeemed and adopted as His sons and daughters (Galatians 4:4-5), despite spiritual disabilities.
I am sure we have felt unadoptable, living with insecurities that made us feel unlovable. Yet we have always been loved by our heavenly Father. Like foster children, the world will tell us we are not good enough.
Still, God says we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). The world says we are broken; The Word says we are a new creation in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17). We may feel undesirable. However, He desires us.
Regardless of our past or current situation, we are loved and wanted. God has initiated an adoption process through His Son. His home needs us; we need Him. Just as Tiffany and Phillip chose his new name, The Lord has chosen a new name for us (Revelation 2:17). Isn’t it time we say, “I want you to be my Father.”

Ephesians 1:4-5: He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him in love. He did this by calling us to adoption as his legal heirs through Jesus Christ, according to the pleasure of his will.


Cheryl Mixon-Cruce is Pastor of Ochlockonee Bay United Methodist Church and Sopchoppy United Methodist Church.