Jaron is now a Biggs!
I know that many of you who read this already know that last Thursday, Jaron became an official member of the Biggs family when he had his adoption hearing with many family and friends present to celebrate. Of course, Jaron has been a part of our family since he came to us last August, but there was something special about the formal ceremony to make it all official. jenni and I were both sworn in by the court clerk and the judge asked Jenni and I difficult questions like, “Is Jaron over 12 years old?” and “Do you plan to treat Jaron as your own child?”… it was a little touch and go for a while as we tried to figure out the right answers to the questions 
The Five J's at the Courthouse
But seriously, I was once again reminded of how powerful the adoption process is as a metaphor for our relationship with God. Just as adoptive parents choose to bring a child who does not have parents that can take care of her, so God chooses us to be his children. Paul puts words to this amazing truth in chapter 8 of Romans:
“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”
We see throughout scripture that God has such a huge heart for broken people: strangers, aliens, abandoned, and marginalized. He calls them to be his sons and daughters and offers them all the benefits of being is his family. And that is who we are! We are the broken, lost, and aliens of this world; how amazing is it that God has called us to be a part of his family.
And not just in his family, but heirs to his kingdom! As unimpressive as it might be, Jaron is now an heir of our family! Because we have brought him into our family, he has equal right to all the benefits of that, both material and non-material. How much more amazing is it that those of us who have chosen to put our faith in Jesus are now heirs to all the blessings that come with being a part of the kingdom of God: blessings that we can experience in this life and in the life to come! I hope you can take a few minutes this week to let that seek in! God has chosen you to be his son… he has chosen you to be his daughter… he has chosen you to be an heir to the kingdom!
