From Slaves to Sons
Galatians 4:6 “Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father.’”
How is your Christmas celebration going?
No I haven’t lost my mind – for the 2 weeks after
December 25 the Christian Church continues to celebrate Christmas and its meaning for our lives.
This first week of Christmas we celebrate and thank God for his care for us and his care for us through his Son.
Hopefully each one of us has a family name which we proudly associate with because that family loves and cares for us. In our verse for this week we are reminded that no matter what, we are part of God’s family, are God’s child and because of that we have the assurance of how much God loves and cares for us.
Today is also New Year’s Day and we think about fresh starts, New Year’s resolutions and new opportunities. Whether or not those “new” things come to pass in 2017, we have the blessing and assurance that as children (sons) of God we are cared for more than we can even imagine.
Ask just about any parent and they would tell you that they would do anything for their child including die for them. I often wonder how serious some parents are about dying for their child. God didn’t shrink back at all from having his Son die for us so we could have forgiveness of sins and the hope of heaven.
Based on that, the Bible gives us this assurance “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).
What a confidence that gives us as we face each day of 2017 and the rest of our life! Sadly, I know there are those who don’t have family and others here on earth who care for them. Based on the joyous fact that God calls each of us his dearly loved children we can live with the unshaken confidence that because God gave us his Son to take care of our greatest need, he will meet each of our needs and care for us in each and every situation of life.
One of my favorite Christmas hymn verses sums this all up so well:
Softly from his lowly manger
Jesus calls
One and all
“You are safe from danger
Children, from the sins that grieve you
You are freed;
All you need
I will surely give you.”
(CW 37:5)