Made family...

From Ephesians Chapter 1:

5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.[b] 7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. 8 He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

It wasn't enough that God chose us from the beginning of time. He makes us family.

You know sometimes adopted children have a bad connotation. They are assumed to have been hopeless cases. More than likely they were abused. They might even be bad kids. Maybe their parents died in a car wreck. Maybe they were abandoned. Maybe this is true. Through some unfortunate event--these children have found themselves helpless. They have nothing and nowhere to go--and then someone takes them in. This family goes through a lengthy, painful process of being interviewed and questioned and everything has to be just right--all to help a child who needs a family.

Our situation is not so different. We are lost, helpless--unable to fix our lives. We seek out a way to make things better but nothing works. We seek out things to make us feel better but in the end it is short-lived. And then one day God enters the picture. He offers us forgiveness. In His kindness He shows us mercy. He provides a love that we have never fathomed. He accepts us into His family--faults and all. He adopts us. He changes our names. He literally gives us a new life to which the former has no control. He offers us freedom from the past. All of this is offered to us because God went through the horrifying process of sacrificing His son so that we may experience real life. Life in Christ. He offered everything to us--before we even cared that He existed. He made a way out before we ever made our way in. He has loved us in ways that we will never realize. He truly has showered down goodness on us. How can we do anything but love Him. The only appropriate response is worship.