grafted

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.

1 John 3:1

Yesterday we celebrated Easter. For many in our country, it was a fun day of egg hunts and candy-filled baskets. And for others, it was the glorious recognition of Jesus’ death-defeating resurrection. It is this joy—the finished work of the Cross—that actually brings my heart and mind back a few months to Christmas.

By now, most of those Christmas gifts so carefully chosen and excitedly received have probably been used, forgotten, lost, or broken. When my kids were younger, this typically occurred December 26. Not this Christmas. This year, I got my 17-year-old son a gift that cannot be misplaced or disregarded. This year, I took him to a local shop where he received the very permanent gift of tattoos. (I know, you’re either thinking, “What a cool mom!” or “You’ve got to be kidding.”) Let me explain.

My son is adopted—welcomed with open arms into our family from another. Forever. He was removed from a situation that would surely have led down a dark path if he remained. But through God’s grace and miraculous plan, this boy’s life was woven into ours. He was grafted into our family, so that his unique characteristics and gifts merged with those of our family’s…he has been rooted into a new, solid foundation to grow strong, while retaining from eternity past who the Lord created him to be. 

Adoption is a life eternally transformed.

The Lord is now leading my son to use his adoption—the miracle of it and the pain—to forge his future. So, as a point of remembrance, of focus, he got “grafted” tattooed on one wrist and the date of his adoption on the other.

Does your spirit stir at this story? Do you know? This is you and me when we trusted Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We have been welcomed into a new, forever family. We have been removed from a situation that was leading down a dark path if we stayed on it—a path of certain destruction. But through God’s grace and miraculous plan, our life was woven into His. We were grafted into His family, so that our unique characteristics and gifts merged with the family of God…we have been rooted into a new, solid foundation to grow strong and develop into who the Lord created us to be. 

Salvation is a life eternally transformed. 

Now, you may not want any ink permanently set into your skin with a shrilly buzzing needle. But never forget, sisters, that you have been grafted into the Royal family of the Living God. You are a daughter of the King, meant to glorify Him with your life in this world…and praise Him forever in the next.