“The main reason we gather here is not first because we have adopted, but because we are adopted–because we’re in God’s family” (Jedd Medefind, President of the Christian Alliance for Orphans).

Yesterday, in a pre-conference gathering, Dan Cruver took that to an even deeper reality, that adoption is anchored deeply within the internal relationships of the three Persons of the blessed Trinity.

Jesus said, “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be  with me  where I am,  to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me  before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24).

There was never a moment when the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit did not exist. There was never an eternity when they did not exist–eternity past, eternity present, and eternity future did not, cannot, and will not exist without them. Not only did all three Persons of the Trinity preexist the sending of the Son and the Spirit, they preexist and transcend time itself. They are, after all, the very foundation of the universe and the intelligent reason for its existence. Without them, nothing else ever could or would exist. God’s perfectly enjoyed and unbroken communion of love existed forever before anything was made!

“I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them” (John 17:26).

So, as wonderful as the story of our adoption is, it is the Story of the Trinity behind it that gives God’s work of adoption its ultimate meaning, beauty, and significance. As John Piper has said, “Adoption is bigger than the universe.” How is that true? Because the eternal communion of our triune God is behind, beneath, beside, and above the Universe and is the ultimate reason and cause for our adoption.

When we adopt, we are reflecting the love of God. Adoption may lead us into harder relationships than we expected. But then, God’s adopted children aren’t so loveable either. He loved us before we ever cared anything about him and he sticks with us even when we look away from him.

May the love with which the Father loved the Son be in us.

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The quoted paragraphs are from Reclaiming Adoption, by Dan Cruver.

To be eligible to win one of 7 copies of Reclaiming Adoption that Dan has provided, go to my website and follow the instructions there.