For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God

Romans 8:14-17 "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God; And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together"

I don't know about any of you, but for me, there are days when I truly feel like I don't know much. About all I know for sure, is that I am His. If that were the only fact that I could hang on to for the rest of my life, it would be enough. In fact, most of the time, I am greatful that I don't know much more than that. I am His...and that settles it. Whatever questions may come up in my mind and heart, whatever situation I may have to deal with during the day, whatever doubt may try to creep in, there is one fact that I know to be truth, and it is simple...I am His.

You see, He adopted me...and according to Ephesians 1, he chose me before the foundation of the world. He predestinated me to be His..to be brought in to His family. He longed to be my Father. He longed for me to be His child. It was His good will to make me accepted in the beloved. Because of Him, I have received redemption, through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, and I am joint-heirs with Jesus. I have obtained an inheritance and I am sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, Who is the guarantee of that inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession...unbelievable! I am His.

On a typical day in my life, I don't think about all of those things. I tend to get focused on the things of the day..trying to figure out the glitch in my computer, refiguring my budget for the umpteenth time, answering the phone, etc. etc. But the last few days especially, I have been consumed by the fact that He loves me...that I am His. I shared with all of you yesterday that I was able, with the help of my wonderful niece, to discover the history of my family..all the way back to Adam on my mother's side. People on my mother's side especially were people who loved the Lord. They even named their children names like Comfort, Guidance, and Makepeace. I have spent the last few days just in awe of the heritage that I now know about..and the fact that God has given me such an incredible glimpse into my past, and where I came from. I have truly come to the realization that for many many generations before me, my family lived for Jesus. They were His...I am so greatful to be His.

Of course, it seems that whenever satan has the opportunity to throw a little dirt in our face, he certainly takes it. On Saturday, after spending hours looking back at the incredible lifeline that took me all the way back to Adam, I received a phone call. It was from a cousin that I haven't been in touch with since I was 14 years old. The timing in this was just incredulous to me, as that very day, I had learned so many wonderful things about my family. I was thrilled to now be in a wonderful conversation with this particular cousin..I remembered her very well because our moms were sisters..and I knew that God must have spoken to her to call me. We literally hadn't been in touch for over 40 years! I began to tell her of my day's events, and how I had found out all of these incredible things about our family..and she began to share with me, even more about our family. She lives back East and I began to realize that I have a whole family back there, that I don't even know! The excitement in me began to grow. This particular cousin is a little older than me, and knew my parents very well when we were little. She began to share with me the events that took place around the time of my birth. and I was about to get the surprise of my life..because I found out that day, that my father had never wanted me. In fact, my mother was so afraid to tell him that she was pregnant with me, that she waited months, trying to figure out what she was going to do, or how she was going to tell him. Finally, she could wait no longer, and she gave him the news about me. He was very upset, to say the least..

As a kid growing up, somehow I knew this. I mean, you know that deep deep sense that you get when someone simply doesn't want to be around you. Somehow I guess I picked up on my dad's indifference, and possibly even his resentment of me. My sister was ten years older, and I think that my dad just had other plans for his life. I am guessing here..but wonder if he thought that his days of raising children were over. The entire time I lived at home, I sensed my father's disapproval. I didn't know how to make him proud of me, so I didn't try. I didn't understand what I had done...I only knew that my entire life, there was always a knowing..deep inside..that my father wished I had never been born. On Saturday, I was to realize that I was right.

I truly believe that the devil would have loved to have destroyed me with that information..or at the very least to plant doubt in my heart..or even to create questions in my mind..that if my own father didn't, or couldn't love me, how could God? Was I simply unloveable? How could this heavenly Father, in Whom I have placed my trust, my heart, and everything that I am, love me, if I am unloveable even to my own father?

Ray and I had the privilege of serving at the Boys Ranch for five years. Time and time again, we would meet young men who had simply never known the love of their father. Many of them had never even met their fathers. I am happy to report that my own father, at the end of his life did grow to love me..and not only me..but months before he died, he received the love of HIS Father..his heavenly Father. My dad was "adopted" into the family of God..because God had chosen him, before the foundation of the world, that he should be holy, and without blame before Him..in love. My father was His.

For those of you who struggle with the way you were raised, the home you grew up in, the cutting words of a parent or sibling, or the fact that maybe you didn't know the love of a parent, or possibly even that you never met your father..today, may I simply remind you..that when you are a child of God, you are loved. God IS love. He cannot be anything else. For those who have never known the love of your earthly father, remember that God is the Father to the fatherless...and to Him..you are a great treasure of great price.. You have not received the spirit of bondage to fear. Your Father does not wish for you to be struggling with who you are. You are His. You have received the Spirit of adoption and you truly are...His!

God loved you personally, so much, that He gave His only begotten Son..so that you might have eternal life. John 3:16..The Bible says that you are not only His child, but His friend...John 15:15. You have been chosen and ordained by Christ..John 15:16. Romans 5:1 says that you are completely forgiven..and because you are in Christ, you have been made totally righteous. Romans 8:1 says that your God does not condemn you. Romans 8:31 says that because God is for you, who or what, can be against you. Romans 8:38 is a reminder that NOTHING can separate you from the love of your Father. Nothing! You are His.

1 Corinthians 2:9 says that eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, the wonderful things that God has prepared for those who love him. 1 Cor. 6:20 says that you have even been given the mind of Christ. 1 Cor. 6:20 reminds us that we were bought with a price, Christ's precious blood. II Cor. 5:17 reminds us that we have been made new in Christ. II Cor. 5:21 reminds us that we have been made righteous in Christ. I could go on and on. His grace is sufficient for anything that you need. His strength is unlimited and is made perfect in our own weakness. We were chosen, before the foundation of the world to be holy and blamess before God. We are His personal workmanship...masterpieces.

Beloved, you are LOVED. I can empathize with so many who have not fully understood the love of a father..but I share my heart with you today..that you are loved. I ask you to indulge me briefly, and do something that I believe will help you. Get out your Bible and open it to I Corinthians 13, and begin to read about what love truly is..and then begin to insert your name wherever possible. May each of you begin to truly understand the depth to which your Heavenly father loves you, and today may you know simply...YOU ARE HIS!

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