Occasionally, people will ask me, “What is it like to be adopted?”
My answer is always: I was adopted 3x.
My first adoption experience was a sad one. I was flown from Korea to the USA to be adopted by a family in Michigan. It did not work out. I received abuse in different forms although at the time I didn’t understand it.
BUT GOD. He intervened. He made a way for me to be removed from the first family. I was ten years old when my parents, the Pearmans from Roseburg, Oregon, chose me to be their son. Oh, how I am forever grateful. I was taken from what could have been a terrible situation and was given the opportunity to grow up in a loving Christian home.
Being adopted by the Pearmans was an amazing thing. I had a new identity, a new name, a new opportunity, and eventually a new legacy with the Pearman family. I was chosen!
And then, I was adopted the third time. I was adopted into God’s family and I am His child forever.
Adopting Us Brings God Pleasure
Ephesians 1:5 NLT
“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.”
This verse is so deep.
I’m breaking it down into four points:
1. God decided in advance to adopt us into His family.
2. God brought us to Himself through Jesus Christ.
3. This is what He wanted us to do!
4. And, adopting us gave Him great pleasure.
Wow.
As God’s Adopted Child
Upon my conversion to faith in Jesus Christ, I was embraced into God's family through Jesus Christ, giving me a new identity as His son, with the eternal God as my Father (1 John 3:1–2).
In any family, this relationship is reciprocal. Just as I adopted my father's name, changing from Juhn Jung Ki to David Israel Pearman, I now bear God's name—as His son, heir, and ambassador. This means I represent Him in all my thoughts, words, and deeds, responsible for upholding His reputation.
As God's adopted child, I have constant access to the Father, the King of kings and Lord of lords through His Son, Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit who lives within me helps me to please God and live a holy life. I am also a co-heir with Christ, inheriting the eternal riches promised to us.
Considering Adoption?
If you are considering adoption and are facing challenges, I want to take this opportunity to encourage you with my adoption story. Adoption can transform lives, as my own story shows. I am forever grateful that the Pearmans felt led by the Lord to adopt me, changing my life immeasurably. Similarly, when the Lord adopts us into His kingdom, it brings Him immense joy.
For anyone walking this path, know that every struggle along the way is worth it for the profound joy and renewal it brings. (By the way, I was adopted a fourth time; this time by our cat Sweety Snuggly, but you already know that from a previous blog. haha)
Dave
PS: You can read some of my life story in my book, His Eye Is On The Sparrow, that will be released on July 1, 2024.
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