"Children of God"
April 14, 2021
1 John 3:1-7 - See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who thus hopes in Him purifies himself as He is pure. Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that He appeared in order to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin. No one who abides in Him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen Him or known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as He is righteous.
I'm waiting right now for a phone call from a friend. I'm afraid it's going to be bad news, and she will be in very great distress. Right now she needs love—listening—care—comfort; and not just what I can work up out of my own resources, but the absolute best that is available. And I can't supply that. It scares me.
But God can. And so, as His child, I ask Him to give me His Holy Spirit—to fill me, use me, help me know when to speak and when to be quiet—all that hard stuff that I'm nowhere near being able to do on my own. But God can, and God will, because I am His child through Jesus Christ my Savior; and so God shows Himself through me. There is a family resemblance starting to show, completely by His grace. And I can rely on God to do the hard things through me.
This is part of what it means to be children of God—that God Himself is living in us, remaking us in Jesus' image, every one of us who trusts in Him and who has been given real life through His death and resurrection. We are dust, it's true; but we are dust that God has taken up into His family. He is stamping His image upon us, fresh and new. He will show Himself to the world through us, just as He did through His dear Son Jesus, our Savior and our Life. We are not the ones remaking ourselves. He is doing it, and He will certainly succeed. And how happy we will be when we see His finished work!
THE PRAYER: Lord, please draw me closer to You and keep remaking me into Your likeness through Jesus Christ. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Reflection Questions:
1. Do you resemble anyone in your family? Who?
2. What do you think it means to resemble God as one of His children?
3. What is one area of your life where you would most like Jesus to shine through you?