Our relationship with God can, at times, feel strained and distant. You can wake in the morning, go through your day, lay your head on our pillow at night and never connect with a God who loves you so dearly. Intellectually, you may know He loves you but your heart does not seem to experience that truth. If you have trusted in Christ to forgive our sins, you may have forgotten that you have been adopted into God’s family and He is your loving and caring Father. John 1:12, “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God”.
But, do you realize that when God made you spiritually alive, forgave your sins, and gave you a right legal standing before Him He was under no obligation to make you one of His children? He could have given you eternity minus personal communion with Him. But He loves you so much that by His adoption of you, you now have a relationship with Him as God the Father. 1 John 3:1 “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” What a tremendous blessing and privilege!
J.I Packer puts it this way, “In justification, God declares of penitent believers that they are not, and never will be, liable to the death that their sins deserve, because Jesus Christ, their substitute and sacrifice, tasted death in their place on the cross. This free gift of acquittal and peace, won for us at the cost of Calvary, is wonderful enough, in all conscience - but justification does not of itself imply any intimate or deep relationship with God the judge. In idea, at any rate, you could have the reality of justification without any close fellowship with God resulting. But contrast this, now, with adoption. Adoption is a family idea, conceived in terms of love, and viewing God as father. In adoption, God takes us into His family and fellowship – He establishes us as His children and heirs. Closeness, affection and generosity are at the heart of the relationship. To be right with God the judge is a great thing, but to be loved and cared for by God the father is greater" (Knowing God, p. 207).
When your relationship with God seems weak, pray earnestly that your heart would be moved closer to Him. Run after Him for He loves you and He has given you the privilege of having fellowship with Him. Decide today to enjoy Him and live as an obedient child of a most merciful and gracious father.
Posted by Rick Jones
But, do you realize that when God made you spiritually alive, forgave your sins, and gave you a right legal standing before Him He was under no obligation to make you one of His children? He could have given you eternity minus personal communion with Him. But He loves you so much that by His adoption of you, you now have a relationship with Him as God the Father. 1 John 3:1 “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” What a tremendous blessing and privilege!
J.I Packer puts it this way, “In justification, God declares of penitent believers that they are not, and never will be, liable to the death that their sins deserve, because Jesus Christ, their substitute and sacrifice, tasted death in their place on the cross. This free gift of acquittal and peace, won for us at the cost of Calvary, is wonderful enough, in all conscience - but justification does not of itself imply any intimate or deep relationship with God the judge. In idea, at any rate, you could have the reality of justification without any close fellowship with God resulting. But contrast this, now, with adoption. Adoption is a family idea, conceived in terms of love, and viewing God as father. In adoption, God takes us into His family and fellowship – He establishes us as His children and heirs. Closeness, affection and generosity are at the heart of the relationship. To be right with God the judge is a great thing, but to be loved and cared for by God the father is greater" (Knowing God, p. 207).
When your relationship with God seems weak, pray earnestly that your heart would be moved closer to Him. Run after Him for He loves you and He has given you the privilege of having fellowship with Him. Decide today to enjoy Him and live as an obedient child of a most merciful and gracious father.
Posted by Rick Jones
Comments