The cost of adoption

The devotion I have shared recently from Shaohannah's Hope concludes on day 14, I thought I would share it with you all.

Day 14: The cost of Adoption

" God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ... and it gave him great pleasure... He is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son..." Ephesians 1:5,7

Our adoption by God cost us nothing. However, it did cost God something; it cost
HIM HIS SON. The high fees and costs for adoption today are indefensible, but they are not inconceivable.

Adoption is costly. Whether in the realm of finances, emotions, relationships, time,or effort, adoption will cost. But think of what it cost God, and yet He was willing to undergo that cost, and not simply to undergo it, but to undergo it with joy! It gave Him great pleasure! What kind of upside down world is this? What pain and loss God must have experienced, and yet he delighted in bringing us into his family! In our world of risk-averse, safety-first, immediate gratification, we often lose sight of the truth that some endeavors are worth the cost.

The adoption journey is not easy, but every hour of toil, every obstacle encountered, tear shed, every sleepless night, are all but a shadow of the price that God paid for us. Jesus came to be a ransom for many(Matthew 20:28), and if God was willing to pay that ransom for us, how much more will He be willing to lead us in ransoming His beloved children from their state as orphans? And it is His love that compels us onward in obedience, whatever the cost, for He who calls us is faithful. Our God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills, who is rich in mercy and grace, who generously provides for all that we need, this God knows the costs we will incur, and promises to be with us and every step of the way. This is about faith in action. This is an invitation to experience God in ways we've never experienced Him before.

In Matthew, Jesus says, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." God's heart is invested in adoption. Let us view the costs, both known and unforeseen , as an invitation for us to invest our resources, and therefore our hearts, into things of God. Don't be afraid to ask others to join you in your adoption journey, supporting you financially, and personally, for the body is made up of many parts, and we all need one another. Let others have the opportunity to invest in the things of God as well. "Carry one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2).

What are some of the costs that are related to adoption that I can meet with the joy of Christ? How am I affected by the truth that God purchased my position in His family with the blood of His son, Jesus? What does this mean for my life?