Anchor Devotional

See this and other editions of the Anchor Devotional online.

If someone forwarded this email to you, subscribe for yourself by signing up here.

Adopted with Purpose

“Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:16

After raising five boys, my husband and I had the opportunity to adopt an “at risk” baby girl. We prayed and believed the Lord wanted us to do this, so we welcomed our new little girl into our family. As she grew, we learned that her disability included an intermittent explosive disorder. I’m ashamed to admit that at one point, I thought, “If I knew this would be so hard, I never would have adopted her.”

Soon after this thought, I was reading Psalm 139 and came to verse 16. The Holy Spirit quietly whispered, “I adopted you knowing everything about you, and I want you to love her as I love you.” Wow! The Lord knew my pride, my selfishness, and my own explosive sin tendencies, yet still He adopted me. This was both humbling and motivating. Jesus wanted to fill me with His love so I could love her, even during her difficult outbursts!

The Lord willingly adopts each of us who responds to Him in faith. By His Holy Spirit, He works His love through us to those who are hard to love. He knows us fully, adopts us anyway, and never gives up on us.

SCRIPTURE FOCUS
Ephesians 1:3-12

INSIGHT
“The Lord is mine and I am His,/ His banner over me is love.” (B.C. Laurelton, 1965)

THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
1 Kings 8
Proverbs 3
Hebrews 1-2

Sign up to get the Know the Bible free email lesson series from Bible Gateway.