(This is an excerpt from the book Open Hearts Open Homes by Generations—Home)
Read Romans 8:16–17 (ESV)
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.
The Bible talks about how Christians are all spiritual orphans who have been adopted into God’s family. Although we have put our trust in God and believe in Him, most Christians don’t automatically start living as His children. We still have not found our true identities in Him, and therefore operate out of fear. A mindset of fear causes us to be performance-based and think in survival mode—much like an orphan.
We may see God as our Master, Savior, and Lord, but still miss out on seeing Him as a Father. If we are not secure in our identities as His children, we feel that our relationship with God is temporary.
We talk about being children of God, but at the back of our minds, we might be asking Him: “Am I really Your child? Do you love me as Your own?”
Understanding what it means to be adopted by God can change the way we live. It can make us more conscious of what God has done for us. When we truly learn to live as sons and daughters of God, and see Him as our Father, there will be a significant shift in our walk with Him. That’s because embracing our identity as a son or daughter of God is what allows us to love, to be generous, and to give beyond our capabilities.
We can say, “My Father is here. My relationship with Him is permanent, and I can believe for things that are not as though they were. I can believe for the impossible. I can hope even when there seems to be no hope. I can know and trust that God is working things for good even when there’s no evidence.”
If you are a child of God, but still live out of an orphan spirit, allow your Father to show you who you are in Him and what it truly means to be adopted.
Reflective Prayer
Pray for a renewed sense of identity as a child of God and the courage to truly live it out.
Pray for someone you know who is still in a spiritual survival mode and needs to experience the Father heart of God.
Pray for fresh ideas and revelation to build a culture that views being adopted, both in the legal sense and the spiritual sense, as something to be embraced instead of to be ashamed of.
Respond
Read Romans 8:15-17 and make two lists. In one, describe how you might still be acting as a slave according to the verse’s description. In the other, describe how you are already acting as God’s child.
This Orphan Sunday and Pure Religion Sunday, we are joining our friends across Southeast Asia in this FREE devotional. Thank you, World Without Orphans Southeast Asia, for inviting us to be part of this!
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