The Final Week-Tuesday Morning

On Tuesday morning of Christ's final week before the crucifixion and resurrection, He is asked a question about the temple. Jesus begins a discourse on the end times that we find in Matthew 24 and 25. In chapter 25, Christ talks about heaven and our inheritance, and how that inheritance is gained.


31 "When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne. 32 Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, 33 putting sheep to his right and goats to his left. 34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom (your inheritance). It's been ready for you since the world's foundation. 35 And here's why:


I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room, 36 I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me.' 


37 "Then those 'sheep' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? 38-39 And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?' 40 Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me — you did it to me.' 
(from THE MESSAGE)

Once again as I read this passage this morning, I was reminded of the over 550,000 children who are in foster care and 127,000 of those children who are waiting to be adopted. Adoption is one of the key elements of our relationship to God. Gal 4:6-7 6 You can tell for sure that you are now fully adopted as his own children because God sent the Spirit of his Son into our lives crying out, "Papa! Father!" 7 Doesn't that privilege of intimate conversation with God make it plain that you are not a slave, but a child? And if you are a child, you're also an heir, with complete access to the inheritance. (from THE MESSAGE, my emphasis) 

Foster care and adoption are a wonderful way for us to minister to Jesus. I can tell you from personal experience that foster care and adoption are wonderful ways to serve Christ. They are also, rewarding, frustrating, tiring, fulfilling, and a host of other things. One day the King will say to you, "Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom, your inheritance. It's been ready for you since the world's foundation.