Our Simple Status
How would you describe your status with God?
Verse of the Day
“But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.”
Today’s Devotional
My daughter recommended a book to me called Redeeming Your Time by Jordan Reynor. Now I must confess that I have only read the first couple of chapters, but at the end of the first chapter he invited the readers to join his website. He shared with us a “Productivity Prayer” that I use regularly. He also sends weekly devotionals. Today’s message is from one of those devotionals. In it, Jordan Reynor strongly echoes what Holley Gerth taught us yesterday.
There was clearly a relationship between God and human beings before he put them to work in the Garden of Eden. There was love and acceptance before they did a single thing.
This unconditional relationship that God has with us is illustrated beautifully at Jesus’s baptism. Matthew records the scene saying, “As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water….And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased’” (Matthew 3:16-17).
Now here’s what’s remarkable about this scene: God spoke those words over Jesus before his “public ministry.” Before Jesus preached a word, the Father said he was “well pleased” with him simply because he was God’s son.
Believer, through faith in Christ, the same can be said of you. The God of the universe is “well pleased” with you, simply because you are a part of the family! God may have called you to work for him as an entrepreneur, artist, or parent. But before that, he called you to be his child. That is your primary identity. In the words of Os Guinness, “First and foremost we are called to Someone…not to something…or to somewhere.”
And in my experience, it’s the security of that primary identity—your status as an adopted child of God regardless of your performance—that leads people to be the best entrepreneurs, artists, and parents. Why? Because working to earn someone’s favor is exhausting. But working in response to unconditional favor is intoxicating.
Your Father is well pleased with you before you do a single thing. Rest in that truth today.
Look at today’s verse again. “But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.” If you have believed in and accepted Jesus, then your status before God is “His child.” This status is a gift to you from Jesus Himself.
I had lunch with my mom today. No matter how old I am, I will always be hers. Her daughter. Just because I don’t live in her home anymore, it doesn’t change my status with her. Can you imagine the delight of the Father when we finally get it through our confused brains that we are HIS? Let’s delight Him today.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
How confident are you in your status as a child of God?
How has God shown you that He is well pleased with you?
How do you combat the need to perform for God?
How can you enjoy your Heavenly Father today?
When was the last time you made a written gratitude list? Today is a great day for that.