I’m leading a Bible study this Fall on the book of Ephesians. We’re just a week into it, but Paul’s writings are so rich and vivid as he talks about our place in the family of God. He writes,

“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love, he predestined us for adoption to sonship for through Jesus Christ, in accordance to his pleasure and will…When you believed you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession-to the praise of his glory.”
Ephesians 1:4-5, 13-14

When we adopted Malachi and Caleb (two different adoptions), we had the opportunity to look over the files of different children to see if they were a fit for our family. It is a gut-wrenching process of saying “yes” and “no” to a variety of scenarios.

When we made the decision to adopt Malachi and Caleb, our yes to them was not yet known by them. While there is a lot of paperwork to do when we said yes, there is also a deposit. There is a financial transaction that takes place guaranteeing that the child agreed upon is the child that will join our family as well as guaranteeing that we will come and give him a new life.

Both Malachi and Caleb lived as orphans for several months each without knowing that they had been adopted- without knowing that we had said YES! to them. I believe that this is our experience before we encounter Christ. God said Yes! to us before the foundations of the world; God put a seal, the Holy Spirit, guaranteeing our adoption. Until we have that encounter with Christ, we live as orphans- without a name, a family, or a future.

As you read this, give thanks that God has already said yes to you. Claim the new name and family that a relationship with God offers us.