When the gavel falls....

It's a legal process. It's a costly process. It's a qualifications process.

It's adoption.

The more time that passes the more amazed I become at this entire process and how closely it mirrors, quite purposely I feel, our adoption into God's family. We have officially completed our home study and had it approved at all necessary levels in our agency. Oh glorious day! Our agency is being painted and having new carpet installed this week, so we can't pick up our home study until Tuesday or Wednesday when printers are reinstalled and the notary returns. When we get the home study in our hands we will immediately overnight all of our immigration paperwork (thank goodness the government didn't shut down!). We will also begin applying for adoption grants. The home study is a required part of adoption grant paperwork, so all of these moves get us closer and closer!
All that to say, the home study being complete is a big deal. I believe our social worker knows more about us than anyone else (besides the One who knows all the hairs on our head!) from personality, to finances, to parenting, to how we relate to others. We gladly sat through many questions and filling out lots of paperwork. Adoption is about being "qualified." I understand the rationale for it, there are people out there with ill motives seeking to do harm to children. On the other hand, we can go have as many biological children as we want without answering the first question about being "qualified." However, as an adopted daughter into the family of God I am reminded that I am not qualified to be in His family. On my own, I could never do enough, pay enough. or be enough to sit as His table to dine. How grateful I am that He was the only One qualified, the Only One who could make it possible. He met every qualification perfectly. Adoption is a qualifications process.
And, speaking of grants.... Adoption is a costly process. We are SO blessed to have so many joining in with us financially on this journey. We couldn't do it with out the help. God has provided and used people that we could have never imagined. I love Him for that. We are about halfway to our fundraising goal, which is amazing. We are so grateful for the adoption grants out there that we have the opportunity to apply for as well. We will still need more, even with the grants, but we aren't anxious about it. God has provided so perfectly thus far, we have total faith He will continue to provide in His way and time. He is perfect at provision and knowing the cost of adoption. All too well. Along this adoption road we have had many raised eyebrows regarding the cost and many "there's no way we could afford it" comments. God is growing me to see that no excuse is new to Him or justified by Him. The cost of adopting me cost Him everything. Literally. The cost to adopt you, if you know Him, cost Him everything. Literally. I stand in awe and bow low in gratitude that He never shook His head, looked at the ledger and balance, and said, "I can't do that. It's too much." Adoption is a costly process.
I sometimes let myself day dream about the day the judge rules her, "ours." A McKeehan through and through. Her REAL parents. Our REAL heir. I think about how I will feel, what I will say, and how I will respond. I think about how the gavel will sound in the judges hand, knowing that sound is the only thing that finalizes the process. I don't want to forget the sound of the gavel on the desk, knowing it is the sound of a victory song of one more added to the family. A courtroom. The scene is nothing new to adoption, to orphans, or to justification. As children, adopted by God himself, we know, we live, we depend on justification. Without it, we are still declared guilty rather than righteous. It is the legal process by which we declare His righteousness, His name, His inheritance, and the bond moves past legalities straight to family. To be found in His bloodline IS salvation. It IS redemption. It IS our hope. Our ONLY hope. Without adoption, we are still spiritual orphans. To know Him is to know adoption. Just when the enemy tries to distort the Truth of who I am in Christ I try to remember Him, our Righteous Judge. The Ancient of Days seated, gavel in hand. Knowing that with every drop of the gavel one more is added to the family. The legal process of justification starting and quickly turning into a familial relationship that no jury could deny. He holds the gavel and as the Judge He is the one who finalizes our adoption process....
when the gavel falls.
Adoption is a legal process. I know the Judge. He is qualified and already paid in full.