More than 20 years ago, out of the blue, Wayne Moody contacted Charli Couchman. He got straight to the point: “Charli, we need a song about adoption.” Wayne was a friend and a gospel preacher; he was also an adoptive dad. Before Wayne’s call, Charli had never thought to write such a song. In fact, she says, “I knew very little about the topic as taught in God’s word.”
Charli was eager to change that gap in her knowledge, so she began to study and consider what the bible says about adoption. When no song came to her, she filed it away, but always kept it close at hand. Over the years to come, she would read the same passages again numerous times, read articles and sermons, making notes, hoping to come up with a couple of lines.
In time, Dana Carrozza contacted Charli. Just as Wayne had, Dana emphasized the need for such a song, and she urged Charli to find a way to write one. Charli realized at that point that while she had been thinking of the song in terms of earthly adoption, the topic of adoption as God’s children was also one that had been too long neglected in our hymn repertoire.
Charli turned again to passages in Romans and Ephesians, meditating and praying over the concept. Finally, a few words found their way onto paper and a tune began to form. Still, this process was not a quick one. Much of the difficulty was to present the truth and facts of Scripture in a way that would also be personal to each child of God. Charli even asked friends to preach on the subject, thinking that someone else’s thoughts and understanding might give her new insight. Periodically, she would receive an encouraging nudge from Wayne or Dana to continue her journey.
The more she scribbled and hummed and studied, the more Charli realized that adoption into an earthly family is a theme in the story of God’s people, too. “As I read and studied,” Charli said, “There are quite a few bible characters with whom we are familiar who were adopted: Moses was raised by Pharaoh’s daughter; Samuel lived with Eli from a young age; Esther was taken care of by Mordecai; even Jesus was adopted by His earthly father, Joseph.” But calling our salvation an adoption takes no creative license. God’s desire has always been to call His people children and He has longed to be our Father.
Charli is personally connected to adoption, as well. Her brother and his wife adopted two daughters, and Charli is a Sacred Selections grandmother to SS #44 and SS #78! May the words Charli penned, below, encourage you as you consider adoption, our place in God’s family, and God’s good plan for family!
ABBA, FATHER!
Abba, Father! Abba, Father!
By Your grace I’m reconciled,
For You found me, freely loved me,
Washed me clean and called me “child.”
Abba, Father! Abba, Father!
Who am I that I should be
Fellow heir with the Begotten,
Chosen for Your family?
Abba, Father! Abba, Father!
By Your grace I lift each prayer,
Knowing You will bend to listen
To my smallest joy or care.
Abba, Father! Abba, Father!
Yours at last, and this I know–
That to love as You have loved me,
In Your likeness I must grow.
A child of God! I sing this song:
I am adopted, I belong!
Loved and chosen, child of promise,
Abba, Father, I am Yours!
© 2016 C. E. Couchman
