My Chains are Gone

"My chains are gone

I've been set free

My God, my Savior has ransomed me

And like a flood His mercy reigns

Unending love, Amazing grace"

Chris Tomlin

At the final CPS home study before adoption, the caseworker asked Mandy, "Why do you want to be adopted?"

Her response? "So I no longer have to see you."

Mean? Not at all. She's chained down. Chained to CPS. They've investigated her past, they get reports on her present, and control her future. They dictate where she lives, how many clothes she has to have hanging in her closet, the types of friends she can have, the amount of contact she has with her family, and whether or not she can even cut her hair. The chains tighten around her, strangling her joy, and inhibiting her from becoming the person God created her to be.

Friday is "The Presentation." CPS discloses all information they have on Mandy, and we sign that we accept her and will love her, even after knowing all. Our signiture defeats the CPS monster that binds our daughter.

CPS chains Mandy, enslaving her to a legal system void of grace
Sin enslaves us to the law, we are bound by Satan, and encumbered by our own sinful nature

"you used to be slaves to sin" Romans 6: 17

"The Presentation" discloses Mandy's past

Every sin we have committed or ever will commit is laid before Christ
"You know my folly, O God; my guilt is not hidden from you." Ps. 69:5

We can choose to sign or reject Mandy because of the tablet written against her, Mandy is powerless

Christ chose to accept us despite our offenses, we are powerless

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Rom 5: 6 - 8

Mandy's chains are gone (Friday, April 30)

Our chains are gone

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free" Gal 5:1

"My chains are gone
I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love, Amazing grace"