Your True ReflectionMfano

You Are a Child of God:
The Greek word for “child” is τέκνον (teknon) and means descendent or inhabitant of a household. We are God’s descendants through creation and through Christ’s work. Praise God for what He has done for us! Ephesians 1:3-6 (Phillips) declares:

Praise be to God for giving us through Christ every possible spiritual benefit as citizens of Heaven! For consider what He has done—before the foundation of the world He chose us to become, in Christ, His holy and blameless children living within His constant care. He planned, in His purpose of love, that we should be adopted as His own children through Jesus Christ—that we might learn to praise that glorious generosity of His which has made us welcome in the everlasting love He bears towards the Son.

The thought of this should make you and me step back and say, “Wow! I am actually considered to be a child of the Creator of all things.” Can we somehow take in this reality for what it is: perfect love, perfect and complete acceptance, and a promise to watch over, bless, and provide for us? Technology has begun to allow us to investigate the depths of the universe via images we have never seen before. If truly examined, millions of stars, with planets around them, black holes, and incredibly beautiful images of space should amaze us. You have been adopted into God's family, the Creator of all of this, and He says you are His greatest treasure and creation.

Sure, stars and galaxies are fascinating to look at, but God sees us as His absolute favorite creation. It is now possible for us to realize the completion of our life in Christ. Because, as 1 John 3:2 (ESV) says, “What will be has not yet appeared,” it’s going to get so much better than this for you and me if only we can believe!

For those of you who have not had the privilege of a loving, nurturing family, my heart breaks for you. But you have a loving Creator who does love you and wants to show you just how much—should you agree to accept it. You and I must believe this is now our reality. So, seek Him where He can be found. Deep in the depths of your own wants and desires lies a loving, forgiving, kind, caring, nurturing Father who takes you just as you are.

We find comfort in this in John: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12, NASB). Romans 8:16 (NASB) adds, “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,” and John 1:12-13 (Phillips) encourages:

That was the true light which shines upon every man as he comes into the world. He came into the world—the world he had created—and the world failed to recognize him. He came into his own creation, and his own people would not accept him. Yet wherever men did accept him he gave them the power to become sons of God. These were the men who truly believed in him, and their birth depended not on the course of nature nor on any impulse or plan of man, but on God.

I love Romans 8:18-21 (Phillips), especially the end. I hope it encourages you, too—you are not an orphan:

In my opinion whatever we may have to go through now is less than nothing compared with the magnificent future God has planned for us.

The whole creation is on tiptoe to see the wonderful sight of the sons of God coming into their own. The world of creation cannot as yet see reality, not because it chooses to be blind, but because in God’s purpose it has been so limited—yet it has been given hope. And the hope is that in the end the whole of created life will be rescued from the tyranny of change and decay, and have its share in that magnificent liberty which can only belong to the children of God!