While at lunch on Saturday in our little town of Belvidere,
I looked up and coming in the doorway was my son, Sean. He lives in Florida so
seeing him in a restaurant in my town was a surprise, to say the least! He
showed up without announcement, expecting a place to stay, just as it
should be because we’re family. There was no need to call ahead and make a
reservation or ask my permission. Because he is my son, he knows there is
always a room at Dad’s house. I was delighted to enjoy his company for a day
before he went to NYC for business concerns.
Do you know that you can be a CHILD of God with all
the perks of being ‘family?’ The
Scripture says, "Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now
come boldly and confidently into God’s presence." (Ephesians 3:12,
NLT) In another passage, we are reminded that we are children with
privileges. "This resurrection life you received from God is not a
timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a
childlike “What’s next, Papa?” God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms
who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and
children." (Romans 8:15-16, The Message)
God invites us to come close, to know Him, to trust Him, to
love Him – because He loves us. Do you trust God with the affection of a child,
or are you cowering before a distant Deity that terrifies you; guilty and
ashamed? Jesus has reconciled us, forgiven the past resistance to His
grace, and offers a full restoration of
our rights as children of God. We believe it, receive Him, and find
ourselves welcomed home. That allows us to live with an even greater confidence
of His welcome than my son felt when he came to my home this past weekend. We can
be confident of His acceptance. We can learn to live in an ongoing conversation
with the One who loves us most. What a
privilege!
Hear the Truth again - "Now you are no longer a slave but
God’s own child. And since you are his child, everything he has belongs to you.
Before you Gentiles knew God, you were slaves to so-called gods that do not
even exist. And now that you have found God (or should I say, now that God has
found you), why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the
weak and useless spiritual powers of this world?" (Galatians 4:7-9,
NLT)
Is there something in your life that is stressing you,
keeping you awake at night, making your head ache? Share it with the Father. With child-like faith go to Abba and ask
His wisdom, His comfort, His resources for your need. Don’t be shy; be boldly
confident. No concern is too small or too big. No joy beyond His interest,
nothing in your life outside His care. Though my children are all grown with
kids of their own, in their own careers and successful, I am still delighted to
share their lives, to hear their hearts, to pray for their needs, to rejoice in
their successes – because they’re
family. Your Heavenly Father desires
your love and will hear your heart. Oh yes, as with any good father, He may not
do what you want Him to do, but He will do what is best for you. If He corrects
you, it is because He loves you.
The word from the Word is a single line. Meditate on the
declaration. Ask the Spirit to help you to accept His love today. Don’t live
like an orphaned child. “How great is the love the Father has
lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we
are.” (1 John 3:1)
________________
________________
You unravel me with a melody
You surround me with a song
Of deliverance from my enemies
Till all my fears are gone
I'm no longer a slave to fear
I am a child of God
I'm no longer a slave to fear
I am a child of God
From my Mother's womb
You have chosen me
Love has called my name
I've been born again into Your family
Your blood flows through my veins
You split the sea so I could walk right through it
My fears were drowned in perfect love
You rescued me so I could stand and sing
I am a child of God
Brian Johnson | Joel Case | Jonathan David Helser
© 2014 Bethel Music Publishing
CCLI License # 810055
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