Family Resemblance

Well it's happened to me again. I wrote a post for my blog but then for whatever reason wasn't quite ready to post it, so I held on to it. It seems that something happens, usually it's a conversation with someone pertaining to the subject of my post that’s on hold. In this case, we discussed this subject at Youth Group last night. I found it very interesting that I had wrote this about a month ago but just didn't think it was time to post it - that is until now. Our youth minister (Brian) discussed the subject of this post and he is completely unaware that I had wrote this. Strange? Yes - Coincidence? No. Personally I don't believe in coincidence, I believe that things happen for a reason. I don't claim to know the reason but I don't believe that things 'just happen', that's because God is involved. Anyhow here's what I wrote, it will be interesting to see when this happens again.

There’s something about me that you may or may not know. It’s really not that big of a deal but it’s something that I have come to appreciate over the years. It’s not the kind of thing that I go around talking about or try to fit into conversations. Actually when you get right down to it, it really doesn’t matter and is not that big of a deal. But on the other hand it does matter because it helped shape who I am. Anyhow, what you may not know about me is that I’m adopted. I wasn’t born Ronald Lee Cravatta as one would easily assume. It’s not like I was orphaned, although my parents probably thought about it a few times. My mom remarried when I was very little (15 months) and I took my fathers last name….Cravatta. If you’ve been paying attention, you may remember that in an earlier post that I mentioned I was named after Dad’s brother (my uncle) – which I was. You’re probably wondering if I was adopted then how this could be. I’ll have to tell that story at another time, it’s interesting. But being adopted does explain why I was the only blonde headed kid at the dinner table slurping spaghetti with a bunch of dark haired Italians on Sundays.

I appreciate being adopted for several reasons. Mainly because when you’re adopted that means that you have been chosen. Someone wanted you and picked you. It means they had the opportunity to get to know you, examine you and despite all your flaws they still choose you. The world will say “I don’t think that you’ll want this one it has big ears, no hair and cry’s a lot. It’s a real mess. Perhaps you would be interested in something not quite so damaged?” But by being chosen, Love says “I don’t care what’s wrong with him, I’ll take him anyway. He’s mine - this is my child.” Now I know that we all love our natural children and would do anything for them and we do – that’s not what I’m talking about. Being adopted tells the adopted child “Even though you didn’t come from me, you are still a part of me.” At least that’s how I’ve always felt. I’ve always felt like I was part of the family: never an outsider, never any different, never like I didn’t belong. Never once I have felt looked down upon or as if I wasn’t entitled to the same benefits and privileges as the rest of the family. No one ever hinted at or told me “You don’t belong here you’re not one of us.” I’ve never felt like anything but what I am…my father’s son…a Cravatta. Being adopted says you are now part of this family. Your old blood line has ended and your new one begins with us. Welcome to the family.

But what I really appreciate about being adopted is how it has helped me understand my relationship with God. Take a look at these Bible verses:

Ephesians 1:5 “His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave him great pleasure. “

Galatians 4:5 “God sent him (Jesus) to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.”

I love these verses they are some of my favorites. They have acted as a tremendous reference point in helping me gain a deeper understanding of my relationship with God. Just as my earthly father chose me through adoption, my Heavenly Father does the same thing. By adopting me, He brings me into His family – an eternal, Heavenly family. He tells me in these verses “Because you accept my Son, I accept you. I adopt you as my own child - you’re now part of My Family”. How cool is that? I have been chosen not once but twice, I’m a double-adoptee! But what’s really cool is that despite all my short comings and flaws (i.e. sins) He doesn’t see me as the mess that I am. When the Father sees me, He looks at me through the lens of Jesus and sees me as Him. I’m also entitled to the same privileges and benefits as rest of the members of God's family. I'm an equal - a joint heir to the throne and I haven't done a single thing to earn it! I just accepted the gift He offered me and He did the rest! Wow - being adopted, being chosen by God to be His child is the greatest thing that could happen to any of us!

There’s another thing that I have noticed about being adopted. Often times after meeting my dad, people will comment on how much I resemble him. My dad and I won’t say word but we’ll look at each other and smile. To me that’s cool and I consider it a compliment. But I also hope that’s what happens in my daily life and walk with God. In spiritual terms, it's my ultimate hope that someday people will be able to say the same thing: “He sure does resemble his Father”. And then we'll look at each other and smile.