You have probably sung the songs or heard this line in the worship songs of our time: I am a child of God. Its a declaration, a reminder of who we are, whose we are. Belonging, and identity are what the enemy is running up and down to distort and destroy in every child of God. It’s his strategy of ruining creation.
John 1:12-13 But to all who believed him and accepted him, He gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. (NLT)
1 John 3:1 See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us He children, and that is what we are!(NLT)
The right, privilege, advantage , birth right, permission , license to belong to God. What a blessing to be a child of God. There is no greater blessing than to belong to God , to be His.
Then the journey of living as a child of God begins. Living to bring joy to our heavenly Father. Thank goodness the first born , Jesus Christ exemplified for us what it means to be a child of God; one that pleases the Father.
Luke 3:21-22 When all the people were baptised, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptised; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” (NKJV)
Jesus Christ excelled at pleasing the FATHER. His life brought great joy to the Father. This is what being a child of God is all about.
Living as a child of God is living a life that pleases your heavenly Father, that brings Him great joy!
We do this by CHOOSING to live a life of OBEDIENCE to Him, through His word. Our Heavenly Father is delighted in us when we obey Him, when we choose Him, His ways over our way, over SIN.
yet
How often have we ignored the word of God? How often have we chosen our way and thinking totally disregarding what the Father and Son are teaching and asking us to do? When was the last time God asked you to do something and you did not try to wrestle your way out of it because it was difficult?
Sadly more often than i would care to admit, i have chosen my own way, disregarded the Father, wrestled more times before submitting.
But I am learning that the only worthy response to the great love, mercy and grace my heavenly Father has lavished on me calling me His child is my obedience. LIVING as His child means i honor, respect Him by obeying Him.
I share some of the lessons i am learning in my journey of living as a child of God.
Obedience is Difficult because it goes against me, against what i like. If am honest, i don’t hate sin as much as i ought otherwise i would not wrestle to remain in it. Think of french fries. They are as tasty as they are dangerous to my cholesterol and weight. Yet i will find myself reaching out for them whenever is possible. It is easier to live fearful and worried than living trusting and confidently assured of God’s faithfulness when situations are out of our ordinary control.
Sin dresses up to entice, is attractive and much easier than obedience.
Now that i am aware of the difficult nature of obedience i cannot be casual about it. I have to be intentional and serious about choosing to obey however difficult it is. Whenever i have set my mind to obey God, i am amazed at how His Grace sets in and makes it much easier than i anticipated.
The moment when JESUS begs the Father to relieve Him of the cross captures how difficult obedience is. It is also in this very moment that we see help coming to Jesus soon as He submitted to the Father’s will.
Luke 22:42-44 “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” 43 Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. 44 He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.(NLT)
Obedience is uncomfortable because sin is comfortable.
Think about the sin you struggle with the most.. there is a level of comfort you have in there somewhere. It is more comfortable to sleep with your boyfriend or girlfriend than fight off the temptation of sleeping with them. It is uncomfortable when the Holy Spirit nudges you to give someone in need the money you had planned for your much needed spa treat.
If i live to be comfortable in order to obey God, for my feelings to warm up to the obedience that is expected of me, i am actually in disobedience.
It was definitely uncomfortable for Jesus who was without sin to take on the sin of the world, to take on all my sin. It was uncomfortable for Him to live the glory in Heaven to come and live on earth and die… Obedience will not always be comfortable but by the power of the Holy Spirit
Obedience will cost you; YOU.- When we think of cost we think finances, and yes there is a cost there too, but the biggest cost is yourself. Giving away money is difficult especially when you don’t have a lot of it, but not close to dying to self. The cost of you is measured each time you submit to God’s way. Giving up your ideas, your plan, your time.. YOU!!
Philippians 2:8 He humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. (NLT)
Obedience cost Jesus His divinity for 33 years. Being God then becoming human taking on the nature of man! Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. Giving up the you you had in mind for the You God created. The ‘reputation’ you have that will many times stand in the way of your obedience. Living sold out for Christ in the world today is unpopular and means you become unpopular.
But not all hope is lost, despite the difficulties, the discomfort and cost of obedience, there is grace and help available the moment we surrender and determine to obey. This often begins with a heart and a mind change.
Ezekiel 36: 24-27 For I will gather you up from all the nations and bring you home again to your land. “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.
Prayer:
King of Glory, take our rebellious, stony , stubborn hearts and give us tender, responsive ones that will obey you regardless of how difficult, uncomfortable and costly it gets. Lord let our choice to obey you be reflection of how much we love you.