9/16/14 I John 3

1See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,^a we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. (1 John 3)

Thoughts: It is sheer love that overcomes our sin- that God does not disown us, but sacrifices for us that we may be adopted into His family.  What will we be like in heaven?  The answer is simple- we will be like Him- the risen Jesus.  What was He like?  He cooked and ate fish.  He allowed people to touch him or hold him, but could walk through walls.  He had the scars on his hands, but his hands were alive.
So if we really believe this- we will want to be as holy and pure as we can  We are inspired to be god-like because our hope is in God. 

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your great love that we are welcomed into your eternal family!

4/27/12- Invisible adoption

WSC Q. 34- What is adoption?
Adoption is a free act of God's grace, in which we are received into the family, and have a right to all the privileges of the children of God.  

¹⁴ because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. ¹⁵ For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba,Father.” ¹⁶ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. ¹⁷ Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.¹⁸ I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. ¹⁹ The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 

Thoughts: There is a rush hitting the internet about the "Invisible children" who are kidnapped and made soldier-slaves by Joseph Kony in Africa.  But there is a sense in which every Christian is an invisible child.  The adoption of God's children is invisible. Similarly, we cannot tell, by just walking on the street whose child belongs to which father.  The child knows who their father is.  The child can say, "Abba" (Chrysostom and Cyril said this was an endearing Aramaic term similar to "Daddy").  The child is not only connected to the father by birth but also by relationship.  Adoption is focused on relationship- that God knows us and calls us to be His child. The world thinks we are lying about being God's children.  The world thinks that we have no heavenly father- but that this is some imaginary figment made up by a psychological, or emotional need.  But this verse says that all creation waits eagerly for our invisible adoption to be revealed to all.  It is a glorious moment when the Father becomes visible and His love also becomes visible and real for us.  

Prayer: Help me, Lord, to wait with eagerness yet patience for all of creation to be revealed.