April 17, 2018 Tuesday

“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” (1John 3:1-3 NKJV)

            What does it mean to be a child of God?  Some believe everyone who live is a child of God while others believe only those who are saved are a child of God.  This passage implies only those who trust in Jesus and are saved are truly a child of God because it says the world – people who do not trust in God – do not know God or His children.

            John tells us one way to understand the mind boggling quality of God’s love is that we who are a fallen, selfish and sinful people would and could be a child of God!  The love of God is defined and quantified in John 3:16 in that God was willing to allow Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, to suffer horrifically physically, mentally and spiritually for broken humanity.

            The Father was willing to offer His only begotten Son to make us sons and daughters of God!  This love is so mind boggling those in the world are unable to understand or “know” God or those who live within this love! 

            Even we who are recipients of this love cannot understand or know all it means and what we will become as God’s love renews and re-creates us.  But God reveals what we will become as His loves re-creates us to become more and more like God.

            Even more God’s love will purify us and make it possible for us to see God face to face!  Through the love of God we who are fallen and sinful can hope we are made pure, we who are of the world become God’s children and God is revealed to us!

            Are you a child of God?  If you are what does it mean to you?  Are you open to God changing your life as a child of God?

            This was a terrible day and I spent most of the day in bed.  Even with my fuzzy brain I got my Bible reading done.  Bonnie and I had our devotion and time of prayer.  We are still using Near to the Heart of God by Robert J Morgan and it is the story behind many hymns.  It is a blessing to read how God touched the lives of those who wrote the hymns that still touch lives today.  So many had great suffering and their hymns come out of the suffering.  Bonnie took Mom to do a couple of chores.  It is so good that she can be of help to her Mom now that we live in Knoxville.  Got a card from Addison (Addie) Hodgson today who though still very young she is my friend and pen pal.  She sent me a handmade Christmas ornament and said she loves Christmas because Jesus was born then.  What a sweet spirit!