Adoption and the Image of The CrossAs God's children, we can look at the importance of adoption in our own redemption stories. This “vertical adoption” is how God chose to include you in His ever-growing family. As His image-bearers who are to reflect His work on this earth, this question begs to be asked, “What does God expect of us in this adoption paradigm?”
Obviously, not everyone is called to literally adopt children, yet what impact does our heavenly Father want to make in this looming crisis of unwanted, waiting and orphaned children locally and globally? The answer starts with the Cross. The vertical beam is in place. You're adopted as a child of the living God. Together, with arms outstretched, let's create an horizontal beam of adoption by being a conduit of Jesus' love to “the least of these.”
Let's look at ways we can start creating...
Pray:
Tape a waiting child's picture to your dashboard and pray for the child every time your in the car. Photos of waiting kids can be found at adoptuskids.org.
Subscribe to CARE's blog and get updates on prayer issues surrounding adoption and orphan care.
Look up verses about the fatherless and pray them aloud regularly.
Provide:
Give sacrificially to a reputable orphan care ministry.
Give by collecting and sending school supplies to Kenya for orphaned children (information on this blog).
Consider visiting an orphanage or attending an adoptive parent training to see how you can encourage those on the front lines. Go to icareaboutorphans.com or visitingorphans.org
for more information.
Protect:
Educate yourself and speak up about injustices such as human trafficking at love146.org or traffick911.
Become a support person for adoptive families.
Mobilize your family, Bible study or organization to help single moms and their children in your neighborhood or through international missions.
Let's look at ways we can start creating...
Pray:
Tape a waiting child's picture to your dashboard and pray for the child every time your in the car. Photos of waiting kids can be found at adoptuskids.org.
Subscribe to CARE's blog and get updates on prayer issues surrounding adoption and orphan care.
Look up verses about the fatherless and pray them aloud regularly.
Provide:
Give sacrificially to a reputable orphan care ministry.
Give by collecting and sending school supplies to Kenya for orphaned children (information on this blog).Consider visiting an orphanage or attending an adoptive parent training to see how you can encourage those on the front lines. Go to icareaboutorphans.com or visitingorphans.org
for more information.
Protect:
Educate yourself and speak up about injustices such as human trafficking at love146.org or traffick911.
Become a support person for adoptive families.
Mobilize your family, Bible study or organization to help single moms and their children in your neighborhood or through international missions.
Whatever you do for the "least of these..." you're doing for Jesus.
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