Until Every Child Is Home - A 6-Day Devotional On Adoption And Foster CareНамуна

Early in David and Heather Platts' marriage, they were unable to conceive a child naturally. So they decided to pursue adoption. After more than a year of research, paperwork, and physical exams, they traveled to Kazakhstan in hopes of adopting a baby boy whose parents had abandoned him.

At the time, David was pastoring The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, so he and Heather took some time away from their church to travel to the orphanage in Kazakhstan, which was called a “baby house.” Twice a day for two weeks, David and Heather had one-hour visits with the boy they hoped would be their first son. While there, the Platts learned that most adoptive parents don’t visit the baby house, as they had. Many parents fill out the paperwork and then show up for the court hearing, finalizing the adoption. But David and Heather wanted to bond with their child and spend as much time with him as they could—even though it would stretch them emotionally and financially. 

Finally, after seventeen months, the Platts’ adoption journey was completed, and they were able to bring their son home. Within two weeks of arriving home with their newly adopted son, Heather found out she was expecting. “I have no doubt that divine prerogative is the only explanation behind why Heather got pregnant when she did,” David wrote. “God clearly had something more glorious in mind as he used this hardship in our lives to lead us to adopt a precious little boy in an obscure city of northwestern Kazakhstan whom we would never have met otherwise.”

God had begun a work in their hearts, and they sought to adopt again. “God had opened our eyes to the needs of the orphan, and an adoption process that began as a desire to fill a void in our hearts became a desire to reflect a reality in God’s [heart],” David wrote. This time they adopted a girl from China. As an infant, she was abandoned in a paper box outside an orphanage. Now she receives the tangible loving care of parents, brothers, and a heavenly Father.

The Platts learned quickly that orphan care is an expression of the Great Commission, a physical, tangible way to demonstrate personally the spiritual reality of God’s work in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. As president of the International Mission Board (IMB) of the Southern Baptist Convention from 2014–2018, David was able to advocate for the needs of orphans around the globe.

While David is busily ministering and encouraging believers to pursue the Great Commission, Heather remains just as committed to educating people on the plight of orphans around the world. “As a busy homeschooling mom of four who is trying to hold down the fort at home while my husband travels, preaches, and teaches God’s Word around the world, the thought of serving orphans can feel overwhelming and distant at times,” she wrote on their ministry’s website, Radical. And yet the fight is too important. She suggested that people pray for God to draw families into orphan-care ministries, support families they know who are caring for orphans, and even themselves be willing to take in children. “Adoption and foster care are not for the faint of heart,” Heather wrote, “but they are worth every bit of struggle, pain, joy, and excitement. I am so thankful for a sovereign God who knows what is best in each of our lives. Let’s follow his commands and seek out ways to love and care for orphans.” Heather’s exhortation reflects Jesus’ statements about God’s care for the disciples, for us.

“I Will Not Leave You as Orphans”

In John 14:18, Jesus showed His heart for the vulnerable—for us. He said, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” It’s important to understand that His statement is not a proof-text for orphan-care ministries. Nor is it merely an expression of His concern for the disciples as He prepares them for His departure to the Father.

Jesus was acknowledging how His disciples felt as He was explaining God’s plan, which was unfolding before their very eyes. In effect, Jesus was saying, “I know what I’m saying may cause you to feel abandoned, like orphans, but do not worry!” 

Why?

Because Jesus’ departure was the very act that would ensure they were not orphaned, spiritually speaking. Orphanhood reflects the plight of lost humanity. Because of Adam and Eve’s sin in the garden in Genesis 3, every human is estranged (orphaned) from God. So there is a sense of irony when Jesus told His disciples, “I will not leave you as orphans.” He was talking in the context of His “farewell sermon,” which took place in the Upper Room on the Thursday night before His crucifixion. Here the apostle John recorded what may be Jesus’ most intimate teaching to His disciples. John began this section by showing Jesus washing the disciples’ feet in John 13 and following it with His prayer for them and the church in John 17. Jesus’ promise, “I will not leave you as orphans,” is the second of three references related to the orphan metaphor in John 14.

Jesus began John 14 by speaking about His Father’s house. This house, Jesus stated, has many dwelling places. The purpose of Jesus’ departure was to go and prepare a place for the disciples to be with Him. His upcoming death, resurrection, and ascension to heaven provides all believers access to God’s presence and guarantees a dwelling place with God for eternity. He told them, “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me” (John 14:1). Why would Jesus tell His disciples not to be troubled? Because their hearts were on the verge of being troubled! Why? Because of what Jesus said in the following verses. His departure was a great threat to them. They felt, as He referenced in John 14:18, like orphans, left alone. But throughout John 14, Jesus was teaching the disciples that His death, resurrection, and ascension guaranteed that they would not be spiritual orphans. Jesus’ departure ensured that His followers would be welcomed by the Father in heaven. As disciples, we have that same guarantee.

The final reference to the orphan metaphor in is John 14:23: “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.” The presence of a loving father and a dwelling place are exactly what every orphan needs and wants. Jesus assured His followers not only that they will have God as their Father but also that He and the Father will make Their home with those who love Jesus. This is the reversal of the orphan condition in the grandest scale! It is impossible for the followers of Jesus to be spiritual orphans because they themselves are the abode of their heavenly Father.

So though John 14:18 is not a proof-text for orphan-care ministries, Jesus did use this metaphor to encourage His faithful followers as they felt orphaned by His departure. But the only way for them or any human to escape spiritual orphanhood was for Him to finish His mission of death, resurrection, and ascension to heaven. That is the gospel message proclaimed in the Great Commission. Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension enable believers to call God our heavenly Father and provide for us a forever home with God. The Great Commission was given because of humanity’s orphaned condition.