There is a special needs guy in our church that is 54 years old who is not related to me but calls me "dad". He started calling me that after I did his mother's funeral just over a year ago. You see, while we were in the hospital room waiting and watching his mother pass from this life to the next he said: "I ain't gonna have a mom or dad no more Pastor Jeff". I put my arm around him and said: "you can be part of our family." From then on, Michael has been part of our family. He has spent Holidays and birthday's with us. He has come over to my parents' house for cookouts and meals. We have even taken him swimming with our kids at the local swimming pool. He always wants to be with us...because we are his family now.
For the past two weeks, my mother has been in the hospital up at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, for an accident she was in. I have been making the trip back and forth every few days and Sunday morning Michael asked if he could go with me to see my mom. I knew that I would be in a hurry to get up there after church and that I was bringing two of our kids to see grandma in the hospital. Instead of saying "sure Michael, you can go with us", I made up excuses why He probably shouldn't go."
After Michael left my office the thought occurred to me that unlike my "adoption" of Michael into our family, God's adoption of us does not come with conditions. We have access to Him any time we want and because we are now His sons and daughters we also have the same access to Him as His own son Jesus. When God adopts you into His family you have all that He has because you are in the family. There are unending benefits to being adopted into the family of God.
'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. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. '
Romans 8:15-17
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