Hello ,

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,  just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,  to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.  In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory."  

Ephesians 1:3-12

I have had the distinct privilege of attending a number of legal adoptions during my time as a pastor. 

I've witnessed the prospective parents of the child who is being adopted approaching the court, and have enjoyed seeing the proceedings prior to the declaration by the judge who is sitting on the bench.

An adoption is the legally binding inclusion of a human being who is NOT the member of a family, into BECOMING a member of that family; which (in turn) gives them all the rights and privileges of BEING a member of the family unit that adopted them.

It's a fascinating transaction that does NOT begin with the one who is being adopted. 

It begins with the parents ASKING for the legal change to take place, and for this child to become their own.

We have been given the opportunity to be adopted into God's family, but our adoption didn't begin with us; it began with a willingness on the part of heaven to do what was necessary to get the eternal process moving forward. 

Can we decide that we don't WANT to be adopted into God's family? 

Yes, but why would we NOT want to?

Have a great day and God bless!

Pastor Mike / The Open Word