Adopted

The raindrops pounded around me as i squeezed myself under the tiny shade I found in a dark alley.  It had become my home for a while but it could not shelter me when the rain poured and the sun scourged.  The sight of me sent everyone away from me, I was a scum, another unwanted dirt.  As I stayed squeezed under my shade, my eyes were wide open, but i could not tell the difference between the rain and my tears.

Then, he walked up to me, a little boy under a mighty umbrella.  I thought he had come to laugh and make fun of me like other children did, but he stretched out his hand and his gentle eyes beckoned on me.  I hesitated and watched for a moment, but he didn't withdraw his hand.  He saw my hesitation and smiled and like a dove he nodded.

I took his hand and he pulled me gently under his umbrella and silently, we walked together.  He led me to the gates of a mighty palace, so full of majesty and awesomeness.  I stopped in my tracks and moved back.  Surely, he didn't expect me to follow him into the gates.  I was filthy, I was no royalty and my scum was sure to stink up the whole place.  I simply could not see myself fitting into such royalty and beauty.

I took another step back and was out of his umbrella, but he did not let go of my hand.  He gently pulled back in and spoke his first words to me.

" It's okay, everyone is expecting you".

His sweet voice calmed my nerves and i walked into the gates with him.  However, my confidence went right back to bottom level when we got to the door.  I thought about his parents, they would never let a scum like me come into their house.  As we stood at the door, I was shaking, not because of the cold, but for the fear of his father and possible rejection.

Without warning the door opened and a Man whose face i could not look upon stood before us.  He looked at his son and then at me.  " Papa, this is my friend, can she stay with us?"
A smile curved on his Papa's face and he took my hand from his son and led me into the palace.  He went on his knees, wiped my tears and hugged me.  "Welcome home my child"

My heart melted and my knees could not hold me any more, his words brought me to my knees for he did not call me his son's friend, he called me His Child.  Truly, everyone was expecting me as there was a great feast. I was cleaned up and given new cloths and welcomed into the family.

Jesus takes us just as we are, with all our filth and sin, then he presents us to the Father for adoption.  God takes us in and makes us his own, a joint heir with Christ.  He takes away all condemnation and fills us with his righteousness.

The beauty of his Adoption.