I get to call Him daddy

We were in a crowded place last weekend touring our old university and showing the kids around. We brought the kids' scooters and they were rarely right beside us but always zipping around in front or behind. One small moment in the day, I didn't think anything of it at the time, revisited me this morning in such a powerful way my words will not do it justice. We were in a crowd. Maran wasn't near either of us. John was 40 feet in front of her and I was about 20 feet behind her. She started calling for daddy to show him something she saw while riding. She started excitedly shouting "daddy!! Daddy!" Everyone was looking around trying to help her, but not seeing a man that matched her skin color.  You could see some panic on a few older women's faces, concern on several others.  I observed all this from a few steps behind. She made her way through a few people still happily shouting "Daddy!!" Finally, John turned around and acknowledged what she saw and excitedly celebrated with her for seeing whatever it was. First on people's face was confusion. That is not who they thought would show up as her daddy. Then it was intrigue. That's her daddy? Surely not. For John, though, it was delight. His daughter wanted to share something she loved with him and he relished in the moment with her.
I thought about that this morning during worship at church. We sang 'O fount of love' and I was wrecked as I sang "Mercy cleansing every stain, now rushing over us like a flood, There the wretch and vilest ones stand adopted through his blood."..."Praise the Lord! The price is paid, the curse defeated by the Lamb, We who once, were slaves by birth, sons and daughters now we stand"
I think what God has done in my own heart through our adoption is show me a different facet of his love. It comes to life in a way where didn't once before. It grabs a hold of my heart in a way I've never felt. As I sang those words back to God, I thought of myself. The wretch and vilest one who now stands adopted through his blood. I get to call him Daddy. I am not his biological daughter. I was born into sin and slavery and bondage. But, I, who was a slave by birth a daughter now I stand.
I thought of this whole interchange as it played out that day with Maran and John. That's her daddy. It may not look like it. They may not "match". But he is no less her daddy than he is Reese's daddy. So yes, it may cause others to stare and think 'That's her daddy?'  Yes. We get to call her daughter.
Maran and Levi's adoption in no way is it a picture of our "perfect and gracious" love coming to rescue and redeem her and drag her out of a pit. More so it is our imperfect love, covered by a big God, who intersected our stories and filled a deep longing in both of our hearts.

My righteousness in the flesh is dirt compared to God's. So you would look at my heart and look at his and think there is no way. That can't be her dad, they don't match, she doesn't measure up. But sure enough, he calls me daughter. That's my daddy. He laid down his life and gave me his righteousness so that I don't have to try to measure up to earn his love. He lavishes love on me freely simply because I am his daughter, adopted and freed, purchased and redeemed, rescued and fought for.

Today is orphan sunday, please take time to pray today about how you can get involved in the orphan crisis. That could be through orphan prevention: sponsoring a child/family, helping a ministry who exists to keep families together, etc. This could be through prayer, supporting financially, exploring adoption, foster care, helping someone who is adopting fundraise, serving on an overseas trip, being a mentor for a child in foster care, etc. There are so many avenues to helping orphans, just take the step God has called you to!