A DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT by Brandon Young
“For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children 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.”
Romans 8:14-16
“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish;
no one will snatch them out of my hand.”
John 10:28
Does it feel strange to contemplate that we are eternal beings? Do we feel and act as though each of us will exist for an eternity as children of our Lord and Savior? This has been on my mind for quite some time.
I see the generations in this church and I ponder how we ought to see each other in terms of time and bond. How do we view our brothers and sisters who may come to this church as guests? I speak to people each Sunday who are three times older than myself in earth years. However, I strive to see past the age of our world and see my brothers and sisters as the same age as myself - eternal. This is one step we can take to see others in a heavenly light.
If we seek to see each other in a heavenly light, why not take it one step further? In Romans 8, we read about spirit, and how we are given a new one that does not make us slaves again to our old natures. Instead, we are offered a place in the family of God Himself, along with so many others. This type of family is perfect, unlike many of the family dynamics that we are all a part of on earth. Consider where your family would be now if every person in it was a devoted follower of Christ that served God and each other with joy and sought God’s peace in every action.
We are given a chance on earth to be a part of another family. How have we been treating our brothers and sisters in Christ? Do we seek peace and joyful giving to one another above all else, or do we cling to our preferences and past problems? If we truly believe that the Holy Spirit himself testifies for us, that we are God’s children, then how could we possibly cling to the past?
As humans, we are constantly drawn towards selfishness, comfort, and our own preferences. They are the lenses that we wake up with each morning that tell us how we ought to view the world around us. Our churches across this country are viewed by many through the lens that we are all hypocrites who are too in love with what we own instead of sharing the love that paid for our souls on Calvary.
We are not known for our unity and acceptance, but rather our rigidness and harsh opinions of others. How will we each take steps to prove the world’s perceptions wrong? How can we be a community filled with joy, peace, and reverence?
Below is a verse from the song “Speak O Lord.” Use it as a prayer this week, that we might draw near to the God that has given us eternal life.
Speak, O Lord, as we come to You
To receive the food of Your Holy Word
Take Your truth, plant it deep in us
Shape and fashion us in Your likeness
That the light of Christ might be seen today
In our acts of love and our deeds of faith
Speak, O Lord, and fulfill in us
All Your purposes for Your glory
