In  church today a older gentleman shared  a snippet  that  follows or strengthens a post I wrote  last week.

The gentleman told how he had been at an early morning prayer meeting. When it was over he had a couple  hours  before church. A few people asked if he wanted  to go out  and get something to eat and spend some time together. In his head he heard a small  voice saying  “but I want to spend  some time with you.” He listened to the voice  and went  solo to McDonalds. After eating he went and sat in a parking lot in his car.  He prayed asking “but God I don’t get it, why would  you want to spend time with me?” The response he he heard was “you don’t get  it that’s correct. Think of your grandson Cooper, does Cooper have to ask that question? He gets it because it is what it is.”

Sonship in a right relationship has no need to ask “why do you  want to be with me.”  Children understand the relationship with  their parents. They know they are loved and accepted without having to be told.

With that personalize it,  and internalize  that epiphany. The God of the universe created you not for  servants or minions, he created  us  to be sons and daughters.

He sent his Son to bridge that connection or transformation from just an organic being to an eternal son.

If you haven’t read the first Bunny Trail O’ Grace and Adoption (i) ….. .

I’m taking a class and me being me I have a tendency to go on bunny trails. Here is one of my bunny trails.

If you notice I’m only on the introduction but I’m in micro-contemplation bunny trail mode. One of the questions that was presented to us to get us to think was “What is God’s greatest purpose for His children?” Some of the possible answers in the manual were;

●  Serve the Lord
●  Obey the Lord
●  Love the Lord
●  Glorify the Lord

Does anyone ever say I’m having kids so that they can serve me. This might work if your Amish and need lots of hands on the farm but I doubt many people would make that statement.  Or how about “I’m having children to obey me. Also, probably not a politically correct response. The last two, love and glorify, are a little easier to understand or work with.

Think on this, what does it mean “to glorify God?” Try changing it to “what does it mean for a son/daughter to glorify their parents? ” or ask yourself “my kids glorify me when?    Fill in the blank.

My kids glorify me by;

● showing kindness  to people.
● when they succeed at something.
● reach a goal.

I like this concept but in honesty I have to admit something,  even if they didn’t show compassion, be a success,  or reach a goal I would love them unconditionally no matter what. I have four kids and I have a different relationship with each of them. At the beginning and end of the day no matter how they treat me or how I react to them I love them with my whole being no matter what. They don’t have to reciprocate this love I will love them no matter what.

My immediate thought to the classes question was to walk in sonship. The greatest purpose in my relationship with my children is that they would walk as my kids. I desire for them to come to me with their ups and their downs,  their success and their failures.

This is how I see God. I have been going through Romans (if you’ve followed my blogging you may notice my pattern). I desire my children would walk in that identity as “my kids.” As a dad I want them to have a relationship,  an open relationship where they know they can come to me no matter what the condition of their heart.  As a dad I want to be the one they come to when they get a scholarship or they need bail money. If they know and are confident that in both extremes I have done well as a father. (*disclaimer, not sure if I’m there yet.)

By Christ going to the cross and being crucified and resurrected we were co-crucified and co-resurrected with him. He died and took our sins we were put into a re-genesis state where the curse of the law was and is now forever broken and grace was given freely to all at that precise time. He died and paid for all my sins both past, current,  and future! It was a free gift! He doesn’t see my sin any longer. This is not a license to sin but an invitation to step into His fullness. We do not have to work for gift. There is no 12 step program to walk in a grace. It is simply a gift.

Often,  christians feel they are not worthy they feel they have to compete for God’s affection or acceptance.  I remember when I was a teenager and it was home group night I would do everything possible to be gone before people would show up. I was scared of the church people showing up. I was scared thst they would be able to read my spiritual mail.  I lived in fear and condemnation.  I didn’t like going to church because I felt like I missed the mark with God. I lived under the paradigm of works.  I needed to meet all requirements of the ten commandments and live holy. I felt I always fell short.  I lived like that over 30+ years. I was in full time ministry for msny of those years and ministered under that influence. Recently I have experienced grace and had the breakthrough into the realization of what the act of Jesus’s death on the cross and what the resurrection did for mankind. Romans 8:1-2 has become more than just words,  it has brought freedom.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. – Romans 8:1-2

The analogy I heard tonight was very insightful. Imagine a vagrant (Tom)who is penniless.  He had a distant billionaire uncle who died and left all his money to Tom. Tom is now a billionaire but since he is homeless they are having a hard time getting this information to Tom. Is he a billionaire?  Yes! Yes, but he is not walking in this new identity because he has not been education about his new status/identity.

This is how mankind is. We are walking around like vagrants. We are unaware of what are true identity is.  We are heirs. We are sons and daughters adopted in to God’s family with full access to the throne. 

 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 8:15

He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace – Ephesians 1:5-7