already, but not yet...

One of the things that God has used adoption to birth in my heart is a greater understanding of the "already, but not yet" tension found in the gospel message. Many people, today, question how there can be a sovereign, loving God, who would allow suffering, pain and loss to occur. Therein, lies the "already, but not yet" truth of the Gospel. Jesus has already done the work of salvation, but we have yet to see His Kingdom come here on earth.

It's quite the conundrum and often difficult to wrap our minds around. Already...

Adoption is like this. There is a certainty that comes when we hear God whisper into our hearts that this child is ours. We know beyond a doubt that we would move heaven and earth to get to our child. They are already ours. I promise, that if we never hold them in our arms or bring them to our homes, they are as much ours as any child born from our womb.

But, not yet...

Then, there's the other side of adoption. The risk of losing our hearts to the knowing and loving of a child on the other side of the world. The steps involved in the process, that says even after the child is legally yours, you must wait until the appointed time to pick up your daughter or son and bring them home. In essence, we are living in the already, but not yet space of time, however brief, until we can hold our child.

This is where the Gospel comes to life for me in adoption (well, one of the places). The work of the cross is already done, but the rewards of the Kingdom are not yet...

The tension can be great between the two places. The place of certainty in knowing the God of Already and the place of great faith in trusting the God of not yet. How we live and walk in this space in between is the real witness of the Gospel message here on earth.

How are we filling this time? What are we doing with our little bit of eternity that exists in the already, but not yet?

Hidden in Christ,
Mandy