A Post from Patrick

Why do I want to adopt?

First, let me tell you that I have an amazing wife and three beautiful children.  We have always wanted to have a big family and seem to be stalled out at 3.  So why don’t we just stop?  Why don’t we take it as a “sign”?  Anyway, it doesn’t make any sense to have more children; we are only a one income household.  My wife stays at home.  We can’t afford more. 

America says stop, finances say stop, the “sign” says stop.  We say “Go!” Why?

Well, let me put it to you this way. “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: visit the orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” James 1:27

So, we should adopt children, because one passage of scripture says to “visit the orphans”?  It says visit.  Go to an orphanage, take a kid out to lunch and you are all set: pure religion.Well not exactly. 

If we look at the root word of visit, it is episkeptomai. This is made up of two Greek words, epi and skopos.  To look toward the goal. To watch after.  Visit the orphans.  Look toward the goal of the orphans in their trouble.  Watch after orphans in their trouble

So pure an undefiled religion is to look toward the goal of orphans in their trouble. To watch after orphans. 

This isn’t just about visiting orphans, this is about taking care of orphans.  What do orphans need?  They need food, they need shelter, they need love, they need God.  How do we do this? We visit them.  We watch after them.  We look toward the goal for them, with them.  We show them the love of God, we teach them love of God.

Luke 1:68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for He has visited and redeemed his people.”

God “visited” his people.  Same word.  God didn’t just spend a little bit of time with the people, he adopted them into His family and made them His own.  He died for them.

Epi and skopos are also the same two root words that make up the Greek word, episkopos  This is where we get the word Bishop in 1 Timothy 3.  The role of Bishop, or Elder, is not just to visit his congregation, but to take responsibility for the spiritual life that the people live. “they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account.”

We have been called to take care of those who need someone to take care of them.  I am not saying you need to adopt, but I am saying we do.  We can’t wait to “visit” the orphans. God bless, Pat.