Becoming a child: We belong to ONE—GREATER than ourselves
Family reunions come annually, and for some families, this tradition has continued for decades. Quite possibly, the family reunion may become a ‘weekend’ of gathering together as a family. Today, maybe we question: Why? Why should we care that we belong? Why should we desire to be ‘related,’ to be ‘family,’ or to be the children of __________ ?
Becoming a child: We belong to ONE—GREATER than ourselves.
- Maybe you are reading these words and wonder: Yeah, right! OR
- Maybe you are reading these words and your family is not the greatest one to belong to AND, in fact,
- Maybe you are reading and really just wish that you could ditch your earthly DNA and belong to ONE—GREATER.
Well, there’s Good News! We can!
“So then, brethren,
(The Letter of Paul to the Romans 8: 12-17 NASB)
we are under obligation,
not to the flesh,
to live according to the flesh—
for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die;
but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again,
but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out,
“Abba! Father!”
The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,
and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ,
if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”
Years ago, before my husband deployed with the military for the first time, we attended an appointment with a lawyer and had him prepare a will. Our daughter was small at that time, so we needed to ensure that she would be cared for in the event of our demise. We set aside property owned, designated certain individuals to be the executors of our ‘Last Will & Testament’ and caretakers of our most prized gift: our daughter.
Since that time, she has matured, and we have revised our will (with the lawyer’s guidance) numerous times. Now, at the time of our fifth decade of life, we have asked the lawyer to prepare a ‘Trust’ for our estate, for we desire to “entrust” the assets the Lord has provided to our biological child.
Today, we question: Why? Why should we care that we belong? & Why should we desire to be ‘related,’ to be a family? & Why should we wish to leave our earthly possessions to our children?
Becoming a child: We belong to ONE—GREATER than ourselves.
“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together
(The Gospel According to Matthew 1: 18-21 NASB)
[before the consummation of their vows]
she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.
And Joseph her husband,
being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her,
planned to send her away secretly.
But when he had considered this,
behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying,
“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife;
for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
She will bear a Son;
and you shall call His name Jesus,
for He will save His people from their sins.”
This accomplished what was spoken throughout the Old Testament, through the prophets of God.
- The GREATER—ONE came to earth!
- The GREATER—ONE has been conceived of the Holy Spirit!
- The GREATER—ONE is the Son of God!
- The GREATER—ONE has a name!
“And Joseph awoke from his sleep
(The Gospel According to Matthew 1: 24-25 NASB)
and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him,
and took Mary as his wife,
but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son;
and he called His name Jesus.”
Becoming a child: We belong to ONE—GREATER than ourselves.
This means the Lord has “entrusted” to us the benefits of being His child, and so, we must strive to “act like” & “look like” & “be like” God’s Only Begotten Son.
Thus, just as the people see our daughter and immediately know her heritage because she “looks” like the people from whom her DNA comes—
- when the world pulls the children of God,
- when it entices God’s children,
- when we are tempted to sin,
through the deceit of the unholy one (Satan)—then we are to remember WHOSE we are.
We are to resist the devil.
- By depending on the strength found in our Father.
- By keeping Christ reigning at the center of our lives. &
- By allowing the love of God to flow through us onto others.
We are to no longer desire the sins of the world.
“Do not love the world nor the things in the world.
(The 1st Letter of John 2: 15-17 & 25 & 3: 1 NASB)
If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world,
the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life,
is not from the Father,
but is from the world.
The world is passing away, and also its lusts;
but the one who does the will of God lives forever.”
. . .
“This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life.”
. . .
“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us,
that we would be called children of God;
and such we are.
For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.”
Becoming a child of God allows us to belong to ONE—GREATER than ourselves.