See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!

1 John 3: 1a

There is a story told about a woman who had two children, one was natural born and the other adopted.  One day, a man asked her, “Which one of your children is adopted?”  She stared into the distance for a moment and then looked directly at him and said, “I can’t remember,”

When God looks at the repentant believer, he sees Jesus.  God is the ultimate parent who has lavished undeserved love on his children, even giving up the life of his only Son so that we might be redeemed and doing this “while we were yet sinners (Romans 5:8).  Though our lives may be steeped in conflict, disunity, and disagreement presently, that does not change God’s love for us. We may not be what we ought to be, but God sees beyond that, he sees us as we are becoming, and he is patient with us because he knows that one day we will be like Jesus.  

Today, we can rejoice in the fact that we are unquestionably his children, fully adopted into his family through the blood of Jesus Christ and assured of a seat at the family table in heaven.  God has clothed us with undeserved privilege and unearned dignity because he cares for us and when he looks at us, he sees us as we are becoming, not as we are in our human frailty.  In return, he calls us to turn from sin, pursue boldness, purity, and holiness as we await Christ’s return.  Will you heed his call?

Loving and Gracious God, you have done it all for me and I am deeply grateful.  Give me the will to turn from sin and follow Jesus only.  In Jesus’ name, I pray.  Amen.