Who do you favor in appearance in your family?
In our clan, my siblings and I don’t really resemble either of our parents very much. But there are other relatives that my sisters look like.
I never really thought I looked like any of them, which played along very well with one of my sibling’s tale. The tale was that when I was a baby I was left on our parents’ doorstep by a roving band of gypsies. And no one could track the gypsies down to make them take me back. Although, according to sis, EVERY effort was made. (Gotta love her.)
This reminds me of something I listened to the other day.
I think most people have heard of Joyce Meyer and her ministry. Through the years, I have listened to many of her teachings and learned a lot from her experiences, the failures as well as the triumphs.
Well recently, I heard her speak about her first marriage which produced a son whom she named David.
When she met and married her second husband, who coincidently is named Dave, he legally adopted the toddler and from that moment on became his father – financially, emotionally, lovingly and permanently.
She recalls at the adoption hearing the judge explained in detail how this child now had every right to the father’s name and property as any natural born child of his. There is now no distinction between the two.
And Joyce said it amuses them when every so often someone who doesn’t know that David is adopted will comment how much “David looks like his father.”
You know, that is a perfect representation of God’s kind of love toward us. You totally embrace someone else’s child as your own to feed them, provide for them, encourage them, nurture them, teach them, help them, correct them, stand up for them, share your everyday life with them and love them just the same as you would your own natural child.
For just a moment, let’s say that I was adopted. It would be a lot easier to accept me as a young helpless baby.
But, what about the same Brenda as a grown adult with addictions, debt, bad habits, harmful relationships, negative attitude, pride, rebellion, fears and hurts, angry, bitter and totally selfish.
Diagnosis … a sin nature.
Now how easy would it be to embrace me with the same open arms, love and kindness that you would a small child?
Every person who has ever been born through a natural birth (exception – Jesus), has been born as a child of Satan with a sin nature because of the fall of man. (No one ever has to teach a child to be bad. It comes naturally.)
So, how awesome is it that God offers each one of us the opportunity to be adopted by Him and embraced as His very own, blood-bought child.
It doesn’t matter what we have done (whether good or bad), or what has been done to us, it only matters what Jesus has done FOR us.
So whatever condition we are in, or what we look like when our sinful nature dumps us on God’s doorstep, God embraces us with unconditional love and acceptance.
If we make a decision to humble ourselves and accept God’s grace and mercy towards us and when we call out to Jesus with all of our heart and accept Him as our Lord and Savior we are accepted in the Beloved.
A miracle takes place in our spirit – a beautiful exchange.
Everything that God has given to His Son Jesus, Jesus then shares equally with us. Our sin nature is replaced with His nature. We are totally fresh, brand new and born again in our Spirit.
God is now blood kin! Thank you Lord Jesus!
“Jesus answered and said to him, most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:12-13
“For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “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 joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer (persecution) with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” Romans 8:15-17
So now, I favor my Heavenly Father in the Spirit, and as I renew my mind/soul, then my body/actions will follow.
The Bible holds every Christian’s adoption papers. Have you read yours?
(NKJV. Parenthesis mine.)
Contact Brenda Groves at: bkgroves1996@yahoo.com
