All in a Name

Baby Boy Adams has a name! We can't wait for the arrival of our son,

Robert Stephen "Trey" Adams III

It is very special, even a great privilege, to be able to pass along a family name. Trey will be named for his father, paternal grandfather, and even his paternal great-grandfather (who is a Robert though not a Stephen).

With the help and patience of my parents, in-laws, grandmother, and cousin, I was able to go back five generations on each side to create a family tree for Trey to hang in his nursery. There's any a little extra space at the top should we be blessed with other children in the future, so hopefully our tree will grow over time.

God has been teaching Robert and I more about what it truly means to be in the family of God as sons and daughters of the King. Our church this past weekend held our annual outreach conference, this year focused on adoption - primarily our adoption in Christ and the church's call to care for orphans, widows, and others who are the "least of these."

Though slightly different than our normal focus on global missions, it was a refreshing time of gospel reminders. Foundational to our call to care for orphans and widows, whether through adoption or other means, is the truth that we are all orphans adopted into the family of God, made sons and daughters of the King, heirs with all rights and privileges thereunto appertaining. How? By Christ becoming an orphan on our behalf, forsaken by his father, cast aside.

What better motivation to serve the least of these? What better picture of salvation, the gospel in our lives, than the physical adoption of those in need? The bringing in of someone who has no family, no place, no known heritage into a family unit built on Christ and a community of believers through the local church. This is done not by those who have means serving those without - but by fellow orphans, once enemies of God, undesirable yet chosen for holiness, made righteous in Christ.

The doctrine of our adoption in Christ is just as fundamental in scripture as our justification and sanctification. What a great reminder of that truth - to be God's sons and daughters. It was also a special reminder of God's covenant nature. We serve a covenant-making, covenant-keeping God who promises to be the father of us and our children.

Robert and I look forward to Trey's baptism into the church, the visible sign and seal of God's covenant to him, as we - in humility and faith - acting in obedience take God at his word to be both our father and Trey's, look to God for Trey's salvation as we do for our own.

In these truths, as sinners saved by God's great grace, we have the motivation to seek justice, the welfare of orphans and widows, and act in obedience to care for those less fortunate whom God as put in our lives - for our good and his great glory. What a privilege.