Many of you know our family’s story. We adopted Slav and Sergei from Vladivostok, Russia in September 2008. We “officially” began the journey in April 2006. We received the referral of our two boys in October 2007. It was a “blind” referral, which means we had virtually no information about them (no names, no birthdates, no pictures, no medical reports). We were just told about two boys, ages approximately two and three somewhere in the Primorsky region of the Russian Far East.

I’ll never forget the last day Clarion and I spent with Slav and Sergei on our first trip to Russia to meet them in February 2008. The boys, while biological siblings, were separated in different “detsky doms, “ or “children’s homes” (i.e. orphanages). We visited each of them once a day for about an hour the week we were there. We brought them snacks, toys and a photo album featuring us, our house, and a few other family members. Like I said, I’ll never forget that last day. As we prepared to say goodbye, Sergei pointed at Clarion’s picture in the photo album and said, “Mama.” Then he pointed at my picture and said, “Papa.” That was when it all sunk in for me. I was a father. I’d have to wait six more months for a Russian judge to make it official, but honestly, from that moment on February 8, 2008, I was “Papa.” Being called “Papa” is a beautiful thing!

I’m pretty sure that Sergei didn’t quite know what a “papa” even was at that point. I actually think the boys are still learning that today, over three years later, still learning to trust me. They know I’ll provide for them, but sometimes they doubt. Sometimes they get upset when things don’t go their way. We’ve talked about taking the boys with us when we go to Russia (hopefully this summer) to pick up Slav and Sergei’s brother (by a miracle of God, their actual biological brother). I wonder what Sergei will think when he sees his orphanage again. Will he be afraid that we’re taking him back, returning him? Should he go with us, we’ll take plenty of opportunity between now and then to assure him that we would never do that. We adopted him. He is our son. One of the many phrases I learned to say in Russian (and still know!) was “I will always be your papa.”

Why do I share this with you? Well, as I mentioned above, the Lord has led us on another journey back to the Far East Russia to bring home Slav and Sergei’s brother. More on that later! Secondly, I love that “adoption” is one of the ways the Lord describes God’s work of salvation. St. Paul uses the word five times in the New Testament. God has adopted you to be his child. Through Baptism you are His, an heir of all of the blessings your heavenly Father. Slav and Sergei didn’t choose Clarion and me to be their parents. In some respects, we chose them, although that, too was really the Lord’s doing. It was no blind referral for God. He knew (and knows!) everything about you, even the sin that is deep within your heart. And still He extends His fatherly, divine goodness and mercy to you.

We spend our whole Christian life learning what it is to have a loving, heavenly Father. At times, we lapse into fear, wondering if the Lord has abandoned us, doubting that He’ll provide for us, thinking we can do better than him. If you’re a parent you know! There’s no question that He’ll keep us in His care. With our boys, Clarion and I went through so much to make them ours (paperwork, financial sacrifice, unbelievable stress, and so much more). That doesn’t even compare to what your Father sacrificed to make you His. He gave up His Son. We’re reliving the story once again this Lenten season. The Passion of the Christ, His suffering, death and resurrection are evidence of God’s love for you. That love of God is placed before you as He gives you His Son Jesus today through Word and Sacrament. You don’t tell your children you love them just once. You tell them (no you GIVE them!) that love each and every day. It builds their trust in you. The Gospel, the love of God in Christ, drives our Christian lives on a daily basis. Apart from Jesus we are nothing.

God invites you to call Him “Father.” “Abba” more resembles the endearing term “Daddy.” In the Large Catechism, Luther teaches that having a god means that which you look to for all good. What joy it brings God when you call Him “Father.” Consider the Lord’s Prayer. It’s a prayer in which we call upon our heavenly Father with boldness and confidence, asking him for all things temporal and eternal. No need to fear. God has seen to your eternal needs. Even as He raised Christ from the dead so shall He raise you to be like Him. In Baptism you’ve already been raised to new life. As you rejoice in Christ’s resurrection on April 24th and following, anticipate the fulfillment of your Baptism in your own resurrection. He who began this good work in you will bring it to completion on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6).

Clarion and I anticipate heading to Russia the first week of May to meet our new son. We won’t be able to bring him home until the summer at the earliest. We are so thankful for your prayers and support these past eight months or so since we began this adoption journey. We pray that you are excited along with us. And we look forward to sharing our journey with you upon our return. We are honored to be a picture of what God has done for each of us in Christ Jesus. To God be the glory! Great things He has done!