The United States is a country of immigrants. The "land of opportunity" provided millions of immigrants a new home and a new life.

But for quite a few children who traveled to the United States in the 19th century, their arrival in New York meant they were now orphans. Their parents died en route or shortly after their arrival, leaving them alone.

As estimated 30 000 orphaned immigrant children were living in New York in 1850. They were street children, fending for themselves. Shocked by their situation, a young minister decided to organize the "orphan express." He put hundreds of children on a train heading west. When the train stopped along the way, it was announced that anyone who wanted to adopt a son or daughter from the train could do so.

The last "orphan express" headed west in 1929, having provided 100,000 children a new home and a new life. Two of the orphans who headed west on the "orphan express" became state governors, one was a United States congressman, and another a U.S. supreme court judge.

God has His own "orphan express" of sorts. We all boarded the train and have found a new home.

Prior to our calling, we "were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world" (Ephesians 2:12).

Through Jesus Christ we "who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ" (verse 13).

We got on the train – we accepted Jesus as our Savior – and found a new home, having moved from being cut off from God to being part of the household of faith.

Now we "are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God" (verse 19).

We have "received the spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, Abba, Father!" (Romans 8:15).

A far greater future awaits us than did those fortunate children who rode the "orphan express." We look forward to eternal life in the kingdom of God, as His very own children. Let’s thank God for having called out to us: "All aboard!"

With these thoughts I wish us all a rewarding Sabbath!