For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 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 to sonship. And by Him we cry, “Abba, Father.” – (Romans 8:14-15, NIV)
The true children of God are those who let God’s Spirit lead them. The Spirit that we received is not a spirit that makes us slaves again and causes us to fear. The Spirit that we have makes us God’s chosen children. And with that Spirit we cry out, “Abba, Father.” – (Romans 8:14-15, ERV)
The mature children of God are those who are moved by the impulses of the Holy Spirit. And you did not receive the “spirit of religious duty,” leading you back into the fear of never being good enough. But you have received the “Spirit of full acceptance,” enfolding you into the family of God. And you will never feel orphaned, for as He rises up within us, our spirits join Him in saying the words of tender affection, “Beloved Father!” – (Romans 8:14-15, TPT)
When we seek the Lord and give Him our heart, He welcomes us into His family. There is no being “enough”, for in Him, we are called His very own. I love The Passions Translation, as the reminder that we have “received the ‘Spirit of full acceptance,’ and that because of that, we are “enfolded into the family of God,” are powerful phrases that help my heart hold fast to who I am in Christ. It is the love of God that compels us to love Him and love one another. No matter what our relationship with our earthly fathers is like, we have a Heavenly Father that loves and accepts us perfectly. In this broken world, that is everything. May we ever look to the Lord, our Daddy God, to lead us in His love in all that we say and do, for we are His and He is ever-present to help us and uphold us as we navigate each new day.
Lord, we come to You,
And give You our trust;
Our heart in Your hands,
Where we are enough.
All that we’re lacking,
Is found in Your grace;
The strength, hope and peace,
To run well our race.
Thank You, Lord Jesus,
That we’re called Your own;
Ever included,
And perfectly known.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we place our trust in You and invite You to be Lord of our lives, You welcome us into Your family as children of Your own. Thank You that we can look to You as our “Abba, Father” in all things and at all times. Forgive us for forgetting that we are included in Your beloved family, not worker bees nor outcasts. Teach us to embrace who we are in You. Lead us to love those around us in such a way, that they can clearly see our Father’s heart in all that we say and do. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You, our Everlasting Father, and seek to live out each day as Your beloved children. Amen.
© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present
Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens. – Ephesians 1:3