Adopted

Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
But yet in love he sought me
And on his shoulder gently laid
And home rejoicing brought me.

-- The King of Love My Shepherd Is
(Lutheran Worship 412)

We sang that hymn tonight. That is the third verse, but it is the verse that struck me the most.

Lately, I have been thinking about the word "adoption." I was reading the Bible the recently and read the word "adoption." It was probably in Romans chapter 9, verse 4:

I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, 4 the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. 5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.

That word "adoption" is key. Adotion means that I was picked. That I was taken. I am an adopted son in the family of God, through Christ, through my Baptism. I am in the family of "grace." I should, by rights, be in the family of "sin." But I was adopted and taken into the loving fold of God's grace.

I am blessed by this adoption. And yet, I disparage it. I do often stray. I do get lost, but for some reason, my shepherd drops everything and comes finds me over and over again. And for that I am thankful.