âGod decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasureâ (Ephesians 1:5 NLT).
Photographs. Life’s miraculous moments captured via a contraption I can’t quite understand, but for which Iâm grateful.
All around our house, weâve collected themâphotos in frames as unique as the images within, evoking memories of milestones and vacations, held timeless under glass.
But there are several which, for me, stir no memory and hold no recollection, although theyâre no less dear. These depict a daughterâour daughterâbefore she came to us at the age of two.
Toothless smile in one with very little hair on her perfect head, swaddled in pink and dressed by another.
And then thereâs the one of her upon Santaâs kneeâseveral teeth showing through a crooked grin, her tiny pigtails holding tight the growing locks of a toddler.
It wasnât her daddy or me whoâd taken her to the mall that Christmas and encouraged her in overzealous excitement to birth a smile with Santa. It was others whoâd shared that moment and, thus, the memory. Still, they were kind enough to send the box that contained that and many other photographs of the girlâour Allie, adopted in 2012.
Then there are the pictures that mark a new beginning, a ‘start over’ of sorts for our daughter who’d experienced loss. Like our first trip to the beach as a family of five. Allieâs older brothers held her proudly, their smiles proclaiming on glossy paper, Hereâs our little sister! Isnât she cute?Â
And there are others, too many to count, in frames or filed in photo boxes, held behind plastic in albums. Birthdays and other holidays, school pictures, and family gatherings on the farmâeach drawing forth the broader memories encapsulated in a single moment on film.
I asked myself not long ago, âWhy is it I hold dear–continue to display–those photographs of our daughter that were taken prior to her having joined our family?â
And the answer came, though the response wasnât mine. Rather, it was Abbaâs voice I heard.
Each is precious, whether she was yours yet or not. Furthermore, might these photographs represent a deeper truth? After all, havenât you also been adopted, been given a ‘start over’? Did I love you any less before you came to Me, said âYesâ to a new beginning as My daughter? Of course not. So, too, with your sweet girl. She may not yet have been yours, but you love her just the same.
Oh, how sweet that our Savior spoke so specifically to my pondering, explaining my love for this little girl in such a poignant manner, even in those pre-adoption pictures.
As Godâs children, dearly loved, weâve each experienced that moment of having said yes to Him, accepting Him as our Abba Fatherâour Daddyâthrough His Son Jesus who came, died, and rose again, defeating sin and death. Thus, weâve been adopted into His family and are held securely in the confines of His care.
That doesnât mean that God, in His infinite wisdom, looks back upon our pastâthose years prior to our full surrenderâand loves us any less. He loved us infinitely then as He loves us immeasurably now. He longs for us to leave our sin behind, receive forgiveness by grace through His Son, and receive His ‘start overs’ each time we fall short (I John 1:9).
And the joy it must bring the Father as He watches from His heavenly perspective. To see all the moments of lifeâboth the successes and failures, the milestone moments and even seasons of misery. Perhaps theyâre like snapshot frames, most precious when His children look to Him and, even through tears, manage a smile and say–
âDaddy!â
Now thatâs a picture worth a thousandâyes, a millionâwords.
Dear Abba, Youâve offered us adoption through Your Son. Thank you for the chance to experience a ‘start over’ with You, as Your child. Though Youâve never loved us any less, Youâve invited us to experience the blessing of being joint-heirs with Jesus. Wow!
Poignant as always, bearing your soul.
Neighbor and friend
Thank you for your kind words! â¤ď¸
As a grandmother to two adopted grandsons, my heart swells with gratitude as I read your post. Simply beautiful! Thank you, Maureen.
Thank you so very much, dear Cathy. Blessings to you!
loved this: Did I love you any less before you came to Me?
Thanks for this great message, Maureen.
Thank you, Janet. Isn’t it wonderful to know He could never love us more and could never love us less? No matter what!