Originally posted 9/18/20
Welcome to week three of our study in our ever deepening relationship with God. Today we are going to chat about being a child of God. I love this role because children have privileges that servants and friends don’t have. Let’s dive in!
We are children of God
Romans 8:14-17 (ESV): “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not recieve the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs-heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”
How does the dynamic change between a friend and a child? First, a friend only comes to your house for a visit, while a child lives in your house permanently. A child has the ear of their parents, no matter what may be going on. A child receives the inheritance at the end of their parents’ life. Children go where the parents go and do what the parents do. They have the privilege of knowing things about their parents that friends may not know simply because the friends aren’t in the home all the time.
Children have special access to their parents. Imagine you are the child of the President of the United States. You were outside playing when you fell down and hurt yourself. As a child, you are free to go into your dad’s office and show him your injury. As a friend, you would have to wait for an opening in his schedule to talk about your injury. As a servant, he likely wouldn’t care much about hearing about your injury. Because you are the president’s child, you have unlimited access to him. He loves and cares about you more than his friends and employees.
A parent wants to hear all about the child’s day. They want to hear what the highs and lows of the day were. Parents are there to help mold and guide their children. When the child needs to talk about something, the parent is right there willing to listen and give encouragement, praise, or even correction.
Parents understand that children are weaker and in the process of constantly learning. When a child does something immature and well, childish, the parent is patient and teaches the child the mature and adult way of doing things. Likewise, as a child of God, he knows that sometimes we will do something immature and childish. There is no shame or condemnation that comes from our perfect Father. Instead, he takes those moments and will teach us the way he does things. Like a good Father, he doesn’t force his way on us. We must choose to listen and act the way God does.
Fathers are willing to die for their children. In fact your Heavenly Father sent his Son to die for you. Imagine that! Your life is so valuable, and because God the Father wants you as his child so much, he is willing to sacrifice his Son so that he can adopt you into his family!
If you are a daughter of the King, that makes you a princess! What does it feel like to know that you are a princess? I remember when my daughters were small, they loved to dress up like princesses. They would twirl around and ask my husband and I if we thought they looked pretty. The answer was an adamant “yes!” You, my sister, are a princess. Your Father thinks you are beautiful and he loves to watch you twirl around, confident in who he created you to be. Can you see yourself as a beautiful princess?
A few years ago, I went on a journey of discovering who I was as a daughter of God. I asked God what he saw when he looked at me, and he gave me this affirmation. I have had it taped to my mirror ever since he gave it to me a couple of years ago. I read it when self doubt creeps in or someone tries to tell me I am somebody other than who God has said I am.
I am a daughter of the King of Kings. I am love. I am patient and kind. I am a new creation. I am strong. I am righteous. I am courageous. I am blessed. I am chosen. I am holy and blameless. I am qualified. I am complete and equipped for every good work. Empower me to do your work, speak your words, and love your children as you love me. Fill me with your power today.
As a child of God, you are all of those things too! Do you believe it? If not, I encourage you to copy this and read it out loud everyday until you believe it. I did just that, and it has changed my life.
Go out into the world, confident that your Father is the Creator of everything. You can be sure that when someone or something comes against you, your Father will fight for you. He is there to listen to all your stories, comfort you when you fall and hurt yourself. You can run into his office whenever you want, climb into his lap, and tell him whatever is on your mind. He always has time for you. He thinks you are amazing, and loves to be with you. Your Father is there to pick you up when you fall down and tell you how beautiful you are. You are a princess, and princesses know their Father holds all the power and authority to make whatever they want happen. Fathers are there to protect and cherish their children. You simply need to surrender to him as a child and allow him to teach you, mold you, and protect you from any harm. Remember, Jesus thought you were worth dying for!
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