Today is our 1000th devotional! This week, in our devotions in Luke, we are looking at what it means to be God’s family. Today, we explore the essential truth that those who are God’s children will love God.
‘Now Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd. Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.” He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”’ (Luke 8:19-21)
Lesson: God’s children have a new spirit and love their heavenly Father.
You can listen to this devotional at:
To be a child of God involves a new status and a new nature. Not only does a Christian have the legal status of a chosen and adopted child of God (as we saw yesterday), but with adoption also comes regeneration and being ‘born again’. By the work of the Spirit in us, we have a new nature, which will be seen in a new love for God and, specifically, a love that wants to listen to Him and obey Him.
Paul writes about the Spirit’s work in us in Romans:
‘For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.’ (Romans 8:13-14)
This has some complexity to it, but, in essence, do you see that Children of God are ‘led by the Spirit’? A child of God will want to do what the Spirit wants; and how do we know what the Spirit wants? Principally In His Word - the Bible - and in a conscience that has been corrected by the Word.
Our reading in Romans continues:
‘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.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.’ (Romans 8:15-16)
Christians are not ’slaves’ in the sense of serving God out of fear and obligation. We have not received a spirit of fear so that we fall back into the condemnation that Romans 8:1 declares that we are free from! Christians have a new nature. By the Spirit’s work in them, they no longer fear God in terms of condemnation and judgement but they cry ‘Abba Father’ (Abba is the Aramaic word for father). They know God loves them and they love God; and this new love for God will be seen in our lives as we seek to please Him by listening to Him.
Response
God’s children have a new spirit and love their heavenly Father. Do you ‘cry Abba Father’? Do you love God? Are you being ‘led by the Spirit’ in your lifestyle?
COMMUNITY GROUP NOTES AND STUDY
There are no CG’s this week as we have our week of prayer. For details on meetings, please look at Church News, contact the church office or speak to your Community Group Leader.