The last few weeks I have been reading an old book that has been on my shelf for the past 17 years, but for at least 8 or 10 has laid un touched. “Knowing God” by J.I. Packer, maybe you’ve read it? Mary gave it to me when we were getting to know each other back in 1996. It is a good book, not filled with new revelation or spectacular stories of the afterlife, but good foundational material and teachings to strengthen the soul. This has lead me to meditate of my status as a “son of God”, like I said nothing new or earth shattering until you really lay hold of that truth. That I am a son of God, born into the most holy family of the creator of the universe. Being given access to the almighty as a son has to his father. These truths are really game changers. At times we go through the motions hearing some great bible teachings but that is what they remain, great bible teachings. But when you can really lay hold of the fact that through Christ the adoption papers were finished and we are now full heirs to the Kingdom of God. That opens up a new realm of faith for someone. Being an heir with Christ (Rom 8:14-17) means that I have benefits (psalm 103:2), or to speak a word which is somewhat a buzz word these days, ENTITLEMENTS.
The word entitlement is one that depending on who you are comes with different meanings. For Republicans it is kind of a bad word, implying that we are expecting something we may or may not deserve, mainly connected to the welfare mentality. For democrats it is a part of every American’s rights, we deserve! Some christians have sided with the first definition and consider it a negative term. Honestly there is truth in both sides of the discussion, but today I want to propose that we do have entitlements and should learn to live like it. Not that I am promoting all of us to quit our jobs, sign up for medicaid and wait for the government to come to our rescue but consider the way we see our relationship with God.
Very often we come to God and see our selves as somewhat beggars in His kingdom. We think that God is too big, too busy and frankly at times we think we are too un-worthy to receive from Him or to relate too closely with Him. This is where we need to see what God really intends for us. Yes, the truth is I am un-worthy to receive the goodness that God pours out in my life and in myself I don’t have have any hope of His blessing. But the deciding factor is not who I am or what I have done, but who I know. Jesus, through His sacrifice has opened the door to me and offered me adoption into His glorious family, that through His grace and divine power has given me all I need to be a partaker of His divine nature (2 Peter 1:3-4). Now I have the right to cry out Daddy, Daddy no longer being a beggar at the gates of the King.
As a child of the king (Gal 3, Rom 9, 1 John 3) we need to know that God welcomes us to come with our pains, our disappointments, our needs and burdens. Come into His presence and find the fullness of joy. Having access to the great healer (Ex 15:22-27), the compassionate one (James 5:11, Ex 22:27), our comforter (2 Cor 1:3), the one who is full of grace (John 1:14) with the ability to do above and beyond all we could think or ask (Eph 3:20).
Yes that is right, we are entitled to know and experience this God I am talking about. To walk through what ever challenge or struggle you may be facing with the knowledge that you are loved and not alone. The assurance that God has made a way for us to be called the sons of God, and that we can call Him Father.
God never promises us a quick solution to our problems, but He promises that his grace is sufficient and His presence is never ending. And the reassurance that we are His children and He has a good plan for us gives us hope and the strength we need. When we come to him in that knowledge, trusting that He will work all things out for our good, we can ask what we desire and trust Him for what is best. Even when it isn’t the answer we were looking for.
The understanding of being a son of God has brought the grace to my life that I never imagined could be there. It has provided the strength in times of weakness, the hope in times of feeling lost and the assurance that no matter what happened I was in the hands of a loving God.
THIS IS WHAT WE ARE ENTITLED TO!
2 comments:
Amen Geoff! As we ask our own fathers for what we need when we are children and we trust fully that they will provide, how much more can, and should, we trust our Heavenly Father to be faithful to His word!
John 1:12 "yet to all who recieved him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God."
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