Children of God

^"But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face.”

(1 Thessalonians 2:17)

In his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul described his desperate desire to be with them, but circumstances outside of his control kept hindering him. As Beth Moore explained in her study guide, Children of the Day, the Greek word translated "we were torn away from you" in 1 Thessalonians 2:17 (ESV) is "aporphanizomai" (which contains our English word "orphan"). The term connotes a ripping apart or forced separation.  

We commonly think of orphans being abandoned or unwanted, but that is not always the case. Placing a child for adoption is often a heart wrenching, loving sacrifice that places the best interests of the child before the parents’ who face difficult circumstances. Just as Paul wrote, “in person, not in heart”, the mother may no longer physically be with the child, but that child is always with her in heart. Such has been my experience as God delivered me into a loving adoptive family whom I love with fierce devotion. Yet, God still allowed love, not bitterness, to grow in my heart for the birth mother I could not remember. When she, endeavored more eagerly to see me again, she hired a detective to find me.  When we met in person 21 years later, it was like reconnecting with someone I had known all along, for love had connected us all those years.

My experience is not unique and is only a poor reflection of a much more glorious reunion. Father God created mankind to be in close relationship with Him.  He is Jehovah Jireh who gives us all we need and fulfills our heart’s desire.  So, our separation from Him is nothing like that of a birth mother placing her child for adoption.  He first chose us, but we chose instead to tear ourselves away from Him and His perfect provision, chasing after the world’s counterfeits and our selfish desires instead. While separated from us, He remarkably still longed for us, refusing to leave us as orphans. (John 14:18)

⁴ even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love ⁵ he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ.. (Ephesians 1:4-5a)

While Paul “endeavored… eagerly…with great desire to see” the Thessalonians, and my birth mother went to great effort to find and meet me, God longed infinitely more to be with the people He created for fellowship with Him. His desire was so great that He gave up His only Son on the cross, forsaking Him (Mark 15:34) for our sake. At that moment of separation, “the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.” (Mark 15:38).  It was the ultimate ripping apart, Christ from His Father, so that the barrier between God and man could be severed.  The separation was brief, however, for Jesus rose from the dead, conquering death and paying our sin debt in full. Now all who choose to trust and follow Him become His children.
 
Because of Christ, our heart’s desire and His become one, that each of us is called “Child of the one true King”, just as my 11-year-old recently wrote on her Dickey’s BBQ cup.  In Him all joy, identity, purpose, and peace is found as we are united with Him through love.
 

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” (1 John 3:1)