Word of the Week - Childlike dependence
The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption as son/daughter. And by Him we cry, “Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15
Through His death on the Cross, Jesus made the way for us not only to be saved from the wrath of God but to become fully sons and daughters of God the Father. When we receive Jesus and the gift of salvation, we become co-heirs with Jesus to our loving Father. We literally become part of God’s family as one of His children…Hallelujah!!!! As God’s children we cry out and entrust ourselves to God fully as our Abba, Father. This is something to be giddy about, “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it” Mark 10:15 We can now approach God just as Jesus did with complete confidence, childlike dependence and absolute assurance that He will never ever leave us or forsake us. As followers of Christ we are God’s children who have been adopted into His family and can approach the throne of grace with confidence not with a spirit of fear but a spirit of adoption as sons and daughters of God by which we cry out, Abba! Father! In today’s language this is like calling God our Daddy or Papa, an endearing term that implies deep love and trust. By the blood of the lamb we are redeemed and grafted into His family. This is how God sees us His children now that we are in Christ, He can love us and relate with us just as He relates with His son Jesus. We are no longer distant slaves of the law but His holy children who He desires to draw near to Himself. As sons and daughters of God we should have a hunger and desire to be close to our Abba Father just as a young boy or girl desires to be close to a loving dad who provides safety and security for his children. This is an amazing gift, and at times, a reality that is hard to comprehend. As we grow in communion with the Lord Jesus, the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives will give us confident, happy, peaceful affection towards God as our Father who loves us and wants the best for us. Of course we revere His awesome power but we trust that He is for us and “If God is for us who can be against us” Romans 8:31 If you want to know that you are a child of God; put your ear to the Gospel and your eye to the Cross of Christ and pray that the Holy Spirit would enable you to see and accept it for what it really is; In Christ we are sons and daughters of God the Father and co-heirs to God’s eternal Kingdom with Christ. “For both the One who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are of the same family. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call us brothers & sisters” Hebrews 2:11Walking by faith with Childlike dependence on our Abba Father.Have a great week…-Duane