August 11, 2023 NOT BY ACCIDENT
Hebrews 2:10-11 “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying ‘I will proclaim Thy name to My brethren, in the midst of the congregation I will sing Thy praise.’”
John 20:17b “I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.”
This is bigger than life; what we are a part of is much greater than we know-even beyond our imagination. We may mistakingly think that we are here solely because our mother and father, or a man and woman, had a baby. When it is revealed to us in our innermost being that God is our real Father, our view of ourselves and our view of life drastically changes. Our earthly parents, no matter who they were, were simply the means by which God arranged our physical birth. Even though our earthly parents played an important role and certainly our upbringing had a great influence on us, our true identity is rooted in God, who is our Father. What a blessing that Jesus calls us and thinks of us as His brothers and sisters. In fact, Jesus came and suffered and gave His life to redeem us back to the our Father. As believers, we have been restored to our Father and can now live in relationship with Him. We have been redeemed! We were not redeemed because we did something to deserve it or was good enough; we are redeemed only because God loved us. God likes family, and He has made us a part of His family. With God being our Father does not mean that all will be roses in this earthly life. Just as earthly parent train up their child, God trains us to live as His sons and daughters, and even transforms us into His image. Because we are fathered by God, no matter who our earthly parents were, even if our conception was ‘accidental,’ and perhaps we grew up in unhealthy surroundings, we must remember that God knew us and formed us in our mother’s womb; we are important to God and loved by God; knowing this truth takes care of any poor self image. No matter our circumstances today, let us reflect on the fact that God knew us long before we were born physically, that He sent His Son to redeem us back to Himself, and that Jesus is not ashamed to call us His brothers and sisters.
Psalm 139:13-16 “For Thou formed my inward parts; Thou weaved me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Thy works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from Thee, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth. Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Thy book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me.”
Blessings, Buddy
Hebrews 2:10-11 “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying ‘I will proclaim Thy name to My brethren, in the midst of the congregation I will sing Thy praise.’”
John 20:17b “I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.”
This is bigger than life; what we are a part of is much greater than we know-even beyond our imagination. We may mistakingly think that we are here solely because our mother and father, or a man and woman, had a baby. When it is revealed to us in our innermost being that God is our real Father, our view of ourselves and our view of life drastically changes. Our earthly parents, no matter who they were, were simply the means by which God arranged our physical birth. Even though our earthly parents played an important role and certainly our upbringing had a great influence on us, our true identity is rooted in God, who is our Father. What a blessing that Jesus calls us and thinks of us as His brothers and sisters. In fact, Jesus came and suffered and gave His life to redeem us back to the our Father. As believers, we have been restored to our Father and can now live in relationship with Him. We have been redeemed! We were not redeemed because we did something to deserve it or was good enough; we are redeemed only because God loved us. God likes family, and He has made us a part of His family. With God being our Father does not mean that all will be roses in this earthly life. Just as earthly parent train up their child, God trains us to live as His sons and daughters, and even transforms us into His image. Because we are fathered by God, no matter who our earthly parents were, even if our conception was ‘accidental,’ and perhaps we grew up in unhealthy surroundings, we must remember that God knew us and formed us in our mother’s womb; we are important to God and loved by God; knowing this truth takes care of any poor self image. No matter our circumstances today, let us reflect on the fact that God knew us long before we were born physically, that He sent His Son to redeem us back to Himself, and that Jesus is not ashamed to call us His brothers and sisters.
Psalm 139:13-16 “For Thou formed my inward parts; Thou weaved me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Thy works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from Thee, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth. Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Thy book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me.”
Blessings, Buddy
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