God's children

Monday, March 20, 2017 (6:07 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You. Thank You for friendships. Thank You for family. Thank You for times of celebration. Thank You for Your love.

Yes. Blessed God, thank You for Your love! It's what I went to sleep thinking about. Your love for each of Your children.

Mm. Holy God, how I thank You for the way You speak to us through Your Word and the songs we have that sing of Your Truth. Right now I am reading in 1 John (3:9-10; 5:1-3) and a phrase from ♫No Longer Slaves♫ came immediately to mind.

Thank You God. Yes, thank You! You are the One who reminds me that ♫I'm no longer a slave to fear I am a child of God!... You split the sea So I could walk right through it My fears were drowned in perfect love You rescued me And I could stand and sing I am a child of God♫

Mm, yes! Because of Your great and perfect love for each and every single one of us, we are Your children. God's children. Thank You Father that Your love and Christ's blood cover our sin (Hebrews 9:14-15).

Thank You Father for the times [like this] when just one thought [me as Your forgiven child] takes me deeper and even more deeply into Your Word. One thought and verse leading to another.

The Life Recovery Bible's comment (Hebrews 9:11-15) begins by telling us there is “absolutely no comparison” between what Jesus did by laying down His life for us and any other type of earthly sacrifice we could ever offer to You. It ends with this Truth, “Trusting the work that Christ did is the only way to have complete forgiveness, a clear conscious, and eternal life. Now when we put our faith in Christ [not in myself or others!], we are free to joyfully know and serve God.”

Thank You Father.

And again, the deeper I go. Reading now in Illustrated Bible Handbook, Theology in Brief – Forgiveness, “... (Hebrews 8:12)... When we understand and accept by faith the truth of the way that God has dealt with sin through Jesus, we experience a flooding sense of joy and know release from bondage to our past.”

My heart softens, my mind races. There is so much hope found in Your Word! Ending this study of Your nature IBH states, “If our conscience troubles us, or we feel a sense of guilt and shame, we need only come to Jesus. He has won us forgiveness. We are free, for God's promise is 'their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more' (Hebrews 10:17; cf also Guilt, p. 95).”

Of course I turn to page 95 and find myself reading of Old Testament law and beliefs. Right here in the middle of Leviticus are two more Theologies in Brief. Guilt and right underneath that Forgiveness, OT.

Holy God, I can't even begin to thank You enough that I was born on this side of history. I have the privilege of looking back at all Christ did on our behalf. The Old Testament people had to trust in the hope that was to come.

And here is when my brain splits off into the many strands of spaghetti like thoughts that comprise its whole! IF we are truly Your blessed children [and I absolutely believe we are] why do we choose to live each day in fear rather than faith?

Why do we not grab the brass ring that You have so freely offered us? Father, I long to live this day fully as Your daughter!

Illustrated Bible Handbook Forgiveness, OT asks “What hope do we have of forgiveness? Psalm 103 shows the hope that God's OT people had, rooted in who God Himself is.”

Turning to Psalm 103 I find a Life Recovery Bible devotional titled Forgiveness. Of course! And here I am led to Isaiah 1:18 and 43:25. Reading these verses and another comment, my head is nodding and my soul pleading that I would indeed learn to live “a genuine life with God”.

Most holy Dad, teach me to trust... YOU! I desperately want to live this day as You would have me. Fully. Freely. Forgivingly. Joyfully. As Your precious daughter.

I love You Father. Live through me this day I pray. Thank You. Amen.

(723 words ~ 8:39 a.m.)