ARE YOU ADOPTED? by Melanie Schurr

"And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son; and she named him Moses, for she said, "Because I drew him out of the water." Exodus 2:10

I have a cousin who is adopted. While I have always regarded her in the same way I do any of my other blood relatives, she revealed to me that there was a period in her life she felt like she didn't really belong because she was not born into her family. When she would express these feelings to me, I would always remind her that her adoptive parents choosing her above all other children was proof that she was a very much wanted and loved child.

The word "adoption" is derived from its Latin meaning: option. When we have an option, we have a choice. In this case, there is the choosing of another person's child as one's own.

As we can see from the above Bible verse, the concept of adoption is ancient. However, just as there is earthly adoption, so too is there a spiritual adoption.

Those of us who repent of our sins partake of God's offer of eternal life and allow ourselves to be born again by the renewing of our spirits, are now children of God.

"But to all who received Him, who believed in His Name, He gave power to become children of God" John 1:12

God is our Father, and we are His children. We have become heirs of Jesus Christ, and share the bloodline of the Most High.

"you have received the spirit of son-ship. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" it is the Spirit Himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him" Romans 8:15-17

Although I am not adopted, there was a time when I was a young adult that I too felt disunity with my natural parents. There were moments when I too felt alone, and that there was no one that I could really talk to. My comfort, however, was found in my relationship with God. Whenever I felt low, I would remind myself of who I was. When you are a son or daughter of the Most High, and whose love is so rich, and family so vast, it is impossible to feel down for long.

If you are not yet a child of God, please know that our Heavenly Father is just waiting for you to come to Him. His love for you is already there, but the choice to grab hold of His outstretched hand must be yours, for God would never force His love on an unwilling heart.

Come, and be adopted into the body of Christ!

DIFFERENT IN THE DARK By Sally I. Kennedy

A quick trip to see some friends out of state. My husband was driving, on our way out to dinner. It was pitch dark, and we weren't quite sure where we were. We both watched for identifying landmarks, to guide us back.

I never saw the big warehouse that night, but next day I did. In the daylight, so easily visible, it was plain to see. And funny, it was huge. We wondered how we could have missed it!!

That got me to thinking about when we are "in the light", and we see things we never saw in the dark. How many times have I asked myself the question about something in my past, "How was it I didn't know that? How come I didn't realize??"

The answer is always the same. I couldn't see it. Enlightenment is just that; receiving understanding IN the light. Jesus truly is the Light of the world. I believe as we live, and walk, in the Light, the Holy Spirit continually bathes us in revelation.

I am wondering, "What am I not seeing today?"

Prayer: Lord, please come and shine your Light on anything that is shadowed, or in darkness, in my life. Let me see clearly, through the eyes of Jesus. Amen.

WINDSHIELD WIPER LESSON FROM A CHILD Author Unknown

One rainy afternoon I was driving along one of the main streets of town, taking those extra precautions necessary when the roads are wet and slick. Suddenly, my son Ben spoke up from his relaxed position in the front seat. "Mom, I'm thinking of something." This announcement usually meant he had been pondering some fact for a while and was now ready to expound all that his seven-year-old mind had discovered. I was eager to hear. "What are you thinking?" I asked.

"The rain," he began, "is like sin and the windshield wipers are like God, wiping our sins away." After the chill bumps raced up my arms was able to respond.

"That's really good, Ben." Then my curiosity broke in. How far would his little boy take this revelation? So, I asked... "Do you notice how the rain keeps on coming? What does that tell you?"

Matthew didn't hesitate one moment with his answer: "We keep on sinning, and God just keeps on forgiving us." I will always remember this whenever I turn my wipers on. Isn't it comforting to know that God does keep forgiving us? That all we have to do is ask Him to come into our lives and He will keep washing our sins away.

DESPITE OUR OWN CARELESSNESS By Msgr. Socrates B. Villegas

A little boy celebrated his eighteenth birthday.When I asked him what he remembers of his birthday last year, he answered: "Last year, I received my first pair of long pants." According to him, this new pair of pants was about six inches longer than his usual size. So he asked his mother to cut it short for him. His mother refused, saying: "Keep it that way. In no time it will fit you as you grow so fast." Wanting to really have his pants cut short, he approached his elder sister and grandmother with the same request. Both offered some excuse not to do it for him.

With a heavy heart, he went to sleep, resigned with the fact that he will have to wear his pants longer than usual. As he was asleep, his mother saw his pants by his bed. Feeling guilty at having turned down the boy's earlier request, she cut off six inches from it to fit his size. After which, she returned the pants by the bed. Then, his elder sister also happened to pass by. She saw the pants and felt guilty also so she cut off six inches from it as the boy had requested. The grandmother came in next and did the same thing as his mother and elder sister. The next day, on his birthday, he had a new pair of short pants! On that day also his mother, elder sister and grandmother felt even more guilty. Why? They knew that what they did for the boy was an effort that they did not think about. It was a careless effort.

We all do the same thing ourselves. We do things without much thought. We say things we do not mean. We make promises that we could hardly keep.

Peter and Paul were like that. We know how Peter said to the Lord: "Lord, I will never leave you." And to that remark the Lord could only say: "Tomorrow, before the cock crows three times, you will deny Me three times." And Paul? Paul was a dedicated Pharisee. He thought that in killing the first Christian he was doing God's will.

...We do not celebrate Peter and Paul's faults and careless efforts. We celebrate the fact that despite our own carelessness and faults, God gives us new opportunities. Peter made a mistake. Paul committed the same. But God gave them another chance.

You may have committed so many sins. You may have made broken promises. You may have done things without reflecting. But there is always second chance for you. I invite you to begin again and become great yourself.

REMEMBER THE DUCK Author Unknown

There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to play with, out in the woods. He practiced in the woods, but he could never hit the target. Getting a little discouraged, he headed back to dinner.

As he was walking back, he saw Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let fly, hit the duck square in the head, and killed it. He was shocked and grieved. In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile, only to see his sister watching. Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.

After lunch that day grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the dishes."

But Sally said, "Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen today, didn't you Johnny?" And then she whispered to him, "Remember, the duck?" So Johnny did the dishes.

Later Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing, and Grandma said, "I'm sorry but I need Sally to help make supper."

But Sally smiled and said, "Well, that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help." And she whispered again, "Remember, the duck?" So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed.

After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's, he finally couldn't stand it any longer. He came to Grandma and confessed that he killed the duck. She knelt down, gave him a hug, and said,"Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing. But because I love you, I forgave you. But I was just wondering how long would you let Sally make a slave of you."

I don't know what's in your past. I don't know what one sin the enemy keeps throwing up in your face. But whatever it is, I want you to know something. Jesus Christ was standing at the window and He saw the whole thing. But because He loves you, He is ready to forgive you. Perhaps He's wondering how long you'll let the enemy make a slave out of you. The great thing about God is that He not only forgives, but He forgets.