I Am A Child Of God!

 

• I am a child of God.

But to all who have received him--those who believe in his name--he has given the right to become God's children … (John 1:12).

Wow. Have you ever actually sat and thought about that for just a second? Especially if you are a parent. I'm speaking to those of us who have already accepted the invitation to become God's Child. 

It's like this...  Imagine your own child. Your only child. Your perfect in every way child. You send him out to his first day of kindergarten and everyone is MEAN to him. But, he loves them anyway. He does everything he possibly can to make them like him back. But only a dozen or so really appreciate the qualities of this wonderful child of yours. Of course you LOVE those kids. They are welcome into your home, you feed them milk and cookies, you rent them the latest Disney video to watch on sleep-overs.  THEY are the ones you adore.

Now, years go by... your child is still an outsider. But, yet he still loves everyone and continues to do everything he can to help even the ones who ridicule him.  Sometimes he cries. Sometimes he loses his temper, but only rarely.  He prays for the ones who hurt him.

You watch his struggles but there is nothing you can do.  You cant MAKE people love this child that you adore. But, oh, how you wish you could.

One day, your child goes out hiking in the mountains with his friends. The ones he has had since childhood. And while there, the local gang members find him. They drag him away and torture him. Witnesses say that he never even fought back. He prayed for their forgiveness as he died.

Your precious child, the one you love, is gone.

The gang members are never caught, never charged for their crime. But, one by one, they come to you and apologize. They tell you they have seen the error of their ways and want you to forgive them.

Could you do that? Could you welcome into your home and family and give them the RIGHT to become your OWN CHILD? Could you LOVE them with as much love as you had the one that they put to death?

That's what God does for US!  No, we weren't there on the day that Jesus was crucified. But he still paid the price for our sins, didn't He? He did DIE for us, didn't He? And as Jesus' parent, GOD the Father offers US the right to become His Children!

I know my metaphor is not the best, but think about it.  We are now God's Children. I am His Daughter. He said so and He cannot lie! He is TRUTH.

How undeserving are we to be called the Children of God.  How Praiseworthy is HE to give us that right.

Father, I know that I am a sinner.  Even though I believe in You and love You, I still sin and fall short of the glory. I thank You for adopting me into Your family of believers and loving me with a love that surpasses all understanding. I thank You for the forgiveness of my sins and the strength to carry on when I still stumble. Please help me to show the same love and forgiveness to those who sin against me as You have shown to me. I praise Your Holy Name and thank You for hearing my every prayer.
In Jesus' name I pray,
Amen

When you think about being a Child Of God, how does that make you feel?