Adopted

HEART // 

The truth that Psalm 68 speaks is that God is a Father to the orphan and defends the lonely and the hopeless. While it is easy to see this truth when we hear about an abandoned child being physically adopted into a loving family, there is an adoption that every human heart is in need of. Jack Frost wrote in his book Spiritual Slavery to Spiritual Sonship, “We all were born with an orphan heart that seeks to independently do everything our own way. We never feel at home, we’re afraid to trust, afraid of rejection, and afraid to open up our hearts to receive love.” He goes on to say that, “this orphan heart must be displaced by being introduced and submitted to a loving Father.” 

One of the most shocking and thrilling lines in today’s verse is that God “leads the prisoners out with singing.” He loves to take the most oppressed lives and restore them. We never need to fear that living as a child of God could lead to a boring, stifled existence. He sets the lonely in families and gives us our hearts’ greatest desires. He loves us so well that we can’t help but love those around us... just to be like him. 

WORK //

As children of God, we all have something to offer this world. In him, we are not defined by what we cannot do, our shortcomings or our limitations. We are defined by the gifts he has given us, and even by the healing he has brought to our lives. We are more than enough in him. Spend some time asking God how you can join him in his work of defending, freeing, and loving people. 

What are ways you can reach out to those who live in brokenness and rejection and love them the way God does?