Daily Devotional #1,480

I remember my dad telling me a story that took place many years ago now. He had a best friend that he went to elementary school with and played with pretty much every day. His friend’s parents had not told their son that he had been adopted until he was in grammar school and the youngster was assured that they were now his real parents, and he was their beloved son. Somehow the word got out to some of the elementary school boys, and they began to berate the kid at school because he was adopted. Kids look for any kind of difference and seek to use that as a way to diminish others. And these boys felt like they could use his adoption as something to make this youngster feel small and maybe even unloved. My dad remembered that one day some of the boys were chiding the adopted boy when my dad’s little friend stopped them and said “You know what my mom and dad told me? They told me that they picked me out personally to be their son. And they said that your parents had to take whatever they got!” Dad said that was the last of the teasing. I’ve thought about that story and realized that every follower of this Jesus of the Bible is adopted by God. The Bible says that we are chosen to be his children. Any one can be chosen…all you have to do is believe. The Bible says that no one is rejected by God…just the opposite. People are the one’s doing the rejection of God. And we are told that all who believed in this Jesus and accepted him…he…gave them the right to become the children of God. So, if you know this Jesus of the Bible as your Lord and Savior…celebrate your adoption by the God of all creation! He chose you to be his daughter or son by virtue of you believing him. And if no one has said this to you before…welcome to the family!

Here’s our Bible verse for today…

Romans 8:15 NLT So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”

Remember I’m praying for you…
Pastor Joe