Romans 8:15-17
God’s Spirit doesn’t make us slaves who are afraid of him. Instead, we become his children and call him our Father. God’s Spirit makes us sure that we are his children. His Spirit lets us know that together with Christ we will be given what God has promised. We will also share in the glory of Christ, because we have suffered with him.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Last night, I finished reading Max Lucado’s book, Christmas Stories. Near the end of the book, Lucado talks about his first understandings of “The Christmas Story.” He notes that because Jesus came to earth in human form, He totally “gets” us. Jesus knows how we feel when we are joyful – and when we are filled with sorrow. He understands physical illness and injury…and what it means to belong to a human family.
Lucado notes in this book that God could have sent Jesus in a burst of blinding light, heralded by a Heavenly Host of trumpets and angels and making quite the “entrance.” At any point in His human existence, Jesus could have said, “Nope…not gonna do THAT! Not gonna lie in a smelly manger, be the apprentice to a carpenter, or let soldiers nail Me to a cross.” Yet Jesus endured all of this and so much more so that when we say, “LORD, here’s where I am right now,” He can say with 1000% certainty, “I understand what is happening to you…I know how you feel” – and mean it!
Once we grasp this, we begin to see that we truly are part of God’s family – and He really is our Father. We don’t have to be afraid of Him – we are His children, and He loves us beyond all we can imagine or comprehend. We haven’t literally been nailed to a cross or endured much of the suffering that Jesus experienced to redeem us from sin. But because He did this and took on human form to save us – and we are “family” – we can say we have shared in His suffering.
Think of this in terms of how you feel when someone you love – your spouse, a sibling, your own children, or someone dear to you “like family” is sick, suffering or grieving. Haven’t you had times when you almost felt as if what was happening to them was also happening to you? This is how it is in the family of God. We share in the joys and sorrows of each other…we reach out and congratulate – or sympathize. We come to the aid of those who are hungry, sick, sad, or needy in some manner. We celebrate and cheer their triumphs – and mourn their heartaches. And all of this is made possible by the birth, life, and death of Jesus.
I don’t know that people who lived before Jesus weren’t loving and caring. In fact, I am quite sure that many of them shared a deep sense of “family” with others. But everything was so complicated then. The “rules” were different…the rituals and consequences were burdensome, and serving God was something akin to slavery, as people had to carefully mind their “p’s” and “q’s” – or follow the laws of sacrifice and atonement. Communication with God was done through intermediaries, for the most part – mostly high priests and teachers. Even acts of worship required complicated preparation and rituals…and these were not equal for every person.
Jesus changed ALL of this. Because God came to us in the form of this lowly baby who experienced human things and literally took the sins of the world forever and ever on His flesh and blood body, we are free to be children of the Most High God in every sense of the word. We can talk directly to our Father – any time and place. We don’t have to be afraid – or keep atoning over and over for our sins. We have been shown how to live and love as Jesus did…and we are called to do so!
We belong to the most beautiful family ever – the Kingdom of Heaven. Praise God for this gift! Give Him thanks – and show your gratitude by living as Jesus commanded and demonstrated. Honor this gift and your place in “the family” with every word and action, now and forevermore. Alleluia!
©2022 Debbie Robus
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