Daily Devotional for Tuesday, January 14

The Redeemer's Father and His children

"But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ;' Galatians 4:4-7.

A number of years ago when afamily in our church adopted two lovely children, a brother and sister, I was blessed to attend the finalization of the proceedings. As we assembled in the courtroom, the prospective parents and both children stood before the judge. I will never forget the words spoken by the judge directly to the parents, "These children, as of today, are yours. Every right of parenthood, every responsibility and every legal consideration are yours just as fully as if they were your biological children." There was no question concerning the status of these children, they were a son and a daughter with anew family.

Consider the wonderful status of thebeliever in Jesus. Paul reminded the Galatians that they, too, had been adopted into a wonderful royal family in which every right and privilege hadbeen made available to them through the price that Jesus, the Redeemer, had paid for their souls. By faith we have access to this blessed title. At the moment of our faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit enters us, thus sealing our adoption, our sonship.

The Father looks at His children with such loving eyes. Because of the work of the Redeemer, we may call God "Daddy," or "Papa" as indicated by the words ''Abba, Father." We are legal heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ. Oh, what a wonderful standing.

PARTING THOUGHT

You cannot choose your earthly family, but you are invited to choose God as your Heavenly Father through faith in Jesus Christ.

John Nations