ROMANS 8:16

"The spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children"

TO PONDER:

Looking back at Verse 15 we see … the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship, and by Him we cry “Abba Father.” How simple is that?

Have you ever thought about adoption and all the hurdles you’d have to jump over to even get to first base.   There may be a few of you who have been through the process having to fill out reams of paperwork, or answering some convoluted questions asked in so many different ways.  You could have thought, this may not be the right thing for us to be doing. You started questioning things i.e. when the doubt creeps in over what you thought you’d ‘heard’ and you feel it is too overwhelming.  

Maybe some of you have gone through the long process of adoption and finally come to an end where things have worked out for you and your ‘special chosen’ child who has fitted into your family. This too I believe has the hand of God woven through the process.

Or there are those who don’t have the opportunity to be adopted or taken into a loving family. A couple of Devotionals back I mentioned Phu My Orphanage, the children there were never put up for adoption into loving homes. They came from homes where they weren’t accepted, not only through shame, but the parents believed they were being punished for their former sins.  Whilst some just could not afford to keep their children. Even now as I think of those children, I still believe that they were specially chosen and were accepted and adopted into God’s family. I think about how Jesus looks at others and how He thinks … He doesn’t see the brokenness as we sometimes do, He sees them as whole, loved and cared for.

We as Christians are so blessed. We haven’t had to strive to be part of a spiritual family. We have been chosen. We don’t have to strive for approval or acceptance, because we are already sons and daughters of God. We have the endurance, encouragement and unity with each other through Him.

With His word we have confirmation that we are God’s children, chosen and adopted into His Sonship. We do have an Abba Father who we can call on, and we have the Holy Spirit.

Remember, he first chose us and we need to know, this is who we are.

PRAYER:

Heavenly father, as I’ve walked through this journey, I give you all the praise and glory for the times you have put me in a situation where your light has been able to shine. For the doors you’ve opened and those you’ve closed, for the opportunities where you’ve first stepped and where I have been able to follow. Thank you for adopting me into you ‘family’ and taking your place as my Abba Father. Help me Lord to keep walking with an open heart, where you lead and to be open and willing to do the tasks you have planned for me. To you Lord all praise and glory.

AMEN

Today's Devotion Written by Noeline Brock, LifeWay Online