It's good to be adopted!

Madonna adopts a child. Have you been adopted as a child of God?

 

Madonna defends herself over adoption

 

 

LONDON -- Madonna said Tuesday she had acted according to the law in taking custody of a 1-year-old Malawian boy, responding for the first time to the fierce debate about the legality and morality of the planned adoption.

 

The pop star's statement came after she was united with David Banda at her London mansion. Madonna said she hopes to make the adoption permanent following an l8-month evaluation period, imposed by Malawi authorities.

 

"We have gone about the adoption procedure according to the law, like anyone else who adopts a child. Reports to the contrary are totally inaccurate," Madonna said in the statement, issued via e-mail.

 

Madonna said she and her husband began the adoption process "many months prior to our trip to Malawi," but she had not disclosed their intentions because she wished to keep the matter private. As child-protection groups challenged Madonna's custody order, photographers swarmed outside the singer's home and bloggers and editorial-writers weighed in, that appeared a vain hope.

 

"After learning that there were over 1 million orphans in Malawi, it was my wish to open up our home and help one child escape an extreme life of hardship, poverty and in many cases death, as well as expand our family," Madonna said.

 

"This was not a decision or commitment that my family or I take lightly," she added.

 

David, who has spent most of his life in an orphanage in poverty-stricken Malawi, arrived before dawn at Heathrow Airport aboard a British Airways flight from Johannesburg, South Africa. He was bundled into a waiting Mercedes minivan in the arms of an aide, surrounded by airport officials and armed police officers.

 

Photographers, reporters and camera crews clustered in the street as the van arrived at the brick Victorian town house near London's Hyde Park that Madonna, 48, shares with her husband, daughter Lourdes, 9, and son Rocco, 6.

 

photo & story courtesy ap & msn.com, 10/17/06

 

Ephesians 1:3-5

 

Spiritual Blessings in Christ

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, (ESV)

 

In today's God's Story, why do you think Paul uses the term adoption to explain what happens when someone becomes a follower of Jesus?

 

To help us understand the ESV's "predestined us for adoption", let's look at Tyndale's LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE notes:

 

1:5 God's "unchanging plan" is another way of saying that salvation is God's work and not our own doing. In his infinite love, God has adopted us as his own children. Through Jesus' sacrifice, he has brought us into his family and made us heirs along with Jesus (Romans 8:17). In Roman law, adopted children had the same rights and privileges as biological children, even if they had been slaves. Paul uses this term to show how strong our relationship to God is. Have you entered into this loving relationship with God? For more on the meaning of adoption, see Galatians 4:5-7.

 

Isn't the news about Madonna adopting this child interesting? Thousands of children are adopted every day, but Madonna, who is not a Christian, and who has struggled in relationships, puts an adoption in the headlines. This is the reality of being famous. Her adopted child will be well taken care of and by God's grace will somehow come to recognize his need to be adopted into another family some day - God's family.

 

Have you been adopted into God's family? Jesus Christ, the "famous one" died and rose again to pay the penalty for your sins. Receiving His gift of forgiveness gives you all the privileges of being God's child. Wow! This spiritual adoption won't put you in the headlines, but you will become part of the greatest family both now and forever!

 

How can you connect today's God's Story to your life?

 

If you have never been "adopted" into God's family, tell God right now that you want Christ to be your Savior. He will forgive you of all your sins, come into your life and promises you eternal life! (If this is you, email us so we can encourage you and help you in your new relationship with God).

 

If you have been "adopted" into God's family, praise your Heavenly Father for the privilege of being His child! Confess any way in which you have not been acting like you belong to His family. Thank Him for His complete forgiveness (this is one of the privileges of being His child) and ask His Spirit to empower you to live up to His family name every day.

 

How can you connect today's story, God's Story and your story to others?

 

· If the topic of Madonna adopting this child comes up in conversation, use it to share part of your story. You can simply say, "Did I ever tell you that I'm adopted?"

 

· Pray for Madonna and her family to come to know Christ as Savior and be adopted into God's family.

 

· On your own, or with your youth group, look into "adopting" a needy child through an organization like Compassion International. You can financially support and pray for a child and make a difference in a life forever. Go to: http://www.compassion.com/sponsor_a_child/default.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blessings,

 

Bill

Director of Youth Ministries

630-385-8112

 

bziech@hiscross.org