Gerald’s Day in Court

Ephesians 1:5 – Gerald’s day in court

 

Gerald Penix and his wife waited 15 years for a child that never came by the natural way. However one day they were approached with a lead of a newborn up for adoption. I quote:

 

I remember standing in front of the judge on our day of adoption. He pointed his finger and asked of me, “Is anyone coercing you to adopt this little boy?” After we had assured him that we were doing so out of love for our him, he made this statement. “From today on, he is your son. He may disappoint you, even grieve you but he is your son. Everything you own one day will be his and he will bear your name.” Then he looked to the clerk and gave this command. “So order a change in this child’s birth certificate and may it reflect that these are the parents of this child”

It was then that I realized that my Heavenly Father loved me so much that, without coercion, He loved me and gave His all to me. On that day, He changed my name and I gladly bear His name and His image.

 

Puritan Thomas Goodwin’s commentary on Ephesians covers chapter one and the first ten verses of chapter two in 900 pages. The Puritan, William Gurnal, needed 850 pages to exegete eight verses on the armor of God in Ephesians chapter six. By way of contrast Calvin covered the whole book in a mere 700 pages and Marcus Barth in 900 pages. But with such verses peppering the text such as “ having predestinated us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will” it does not surprise me.

 

The experience of Gerald Penix moves us as it is a shadow of an truth that will take us all eternity to fully appreciate. Meanwhile let’s push on to grasp Gerald’s words (slightly adapted!) that “Our Heavenly Father loved us so much that, without coercion, He loved us and gave His all to us. On that day, He changed my name and I gladly [and proudly] bear His name and His image”.

 

(If you would like more, go to my Ephesians teaching on my website under Adam to Armageddon)