Joy is a funny thing.  A dear friend of mine just received a great, wonderful "Joy."  She only had one child, a son, and years later, he and his wife had no children.

A few months ago, DHS called to tell him that they had removed a child from a woman's home and were tracing the relatives to see if they could find someone to give him a home.  They said that the woman had a son, and that she had told them that he was the father of a nine year old little boy.  DNA confirmed the connection, and would his father take him?

Why the woman never told him is a mystery.  He is a good man and immediately assured DHS that of course he wanted the boy!!!  A son.  After all those years.

A son.  A grandson.  What joy they are all feeling.  The process of getting him is extensive, but it is almost over.  Soon my friend will have a grandson.  She is ecstatic.  Her son is ecstatic.  And the little boy can't wait to join his father.  They are all filled with great joy.

I told you that joy is not happiness.  There is a lot of sadness in this situation.  Nine years were lost.  A little boy didn't have a father for all that time.  There is a lot of healing for him to go through--the home he is leaving is not good.  He has a lot to learn.  But joy--there is such joy.

The DHS case worker said, "This little boy won the lottery.  Most children in cases like this end up in foster care.  Their dads don't want them."

God has made you and me joint heirs with Christ.  Our "Dad" wants us!!!  God wanted us so bad that he sent his only Son to die for our sins so that we could be reunited with Him.  They call us Christians "The Family of God." What joy we have to be called the children of God.