In his letter to the Romans, St Paul said that all those led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. But he says the spirit we receive does not enslave us to live in fear. Instead, when we turn our face to God and call his name Father, then the Holy Spirit brings us into God’s fold as his adopted children.
Romans 8:14-15
Many, if not most, have never known enough healthy love in their lives, so they search the planet in various ways seeking reassurance, purpose and identity to fill the holes in their heart.
Love was never firmly planted in their lives in their former years, so they lack a sense of self or identity, and they often seek reassurance and validation in the wrong places and the wrong ways.
However, our families probably did the best they could with us. Still, only God, through his steadfast and divine love, can offer the reassurance we need of who we are and what our lives mean.
The scripture reading from Romans is interesting because it says the spirit does not enslave us in fear but instead rejoices in our being adopted by God. Enslaved in fear refers to the primaeval fear of rejection we all carry; God offers the precise opposite with the reassurance of adoption.
Roman adoption was no ordinary event; it was a significant life-changing occasion that forever changed the adopted person’s life. It was familiar for wealthy men to secure capable heirs by adoption, often carried out by emperors of the day. It was a great privilege and conferred significant wealth and status on the adopted one.
So, when we accept Christ into our lives, we change forever because we are adopted by God, given a completely new identity and purpose in life.
Not only that, but the door is open to an intimate love relationship with God – God, who is love itself.
He is always there to guide, support and reassure us, and his will is for the very best for us; he can and will fill the holes in our hearts.
When we have this kind of love, supporting, cherishing and willing us on, we can forget the pain caused by lack of love in the past and revel in the love and acceptance of God Almighty. Maker of heaven and earth.
Why not reflect on how it would feel to you to have divine love and acceptance in your life – it is nothing to be ashamed of; this is what we all seek and desperately need.
It is what we were made for, and unfortunately, few people can offer us this level of unconditional love and true knowledge of our identity and acceptance in this world.
After reading: Experiencing God’s Love as Your Father, I wrote this reflection by Mark DeJesus.
For those seeking eternal truths, this book will open the eyes of your heart and reveal the true loving and accepting nature of God.
