ADOPTED BY GOD

"For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, 'Abba! Father!' it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God,…" (Romans 8:14-16)

As I get older, I find that I am becoming more like my father. People say that I look more like my father. I find myself saying things that sound just like what my father said to me when I was a child. I find myself adopting some of the attitudes and values of my father. Like father, like son.

The power of family links to influence us in subtle and obvious ways is strong. The influence can be positive or negative. Some traits or genes we would prefer not to inherit, like a temper or a predisposition to diabetes. I might like to inherit my parent’s patience or a gift for music.

Paul suggests that we have a spiritual father since becoming a Christian. We have been adopted by God, grafted into a new family tree. When we cry out to God, using the intimate and familiar phrase “Abba,” the same salutation Jesus used, it is as if our very souls know that we are God’s children. That’s the proof! Our souls know at the deepest level to whom we belong.

-- R. Scott Sullender in The Upper Room Disciplines 2012: A Book of Daily Devotions. Copyright (c) 2011 by Upper Room Books. All rights reserved. Used by permission.


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