Child of God (Part 1)
Romans 8: 28, Jeremiah 17:7, 1 Colossian 1:10
We often talk about children, especially our own kids or our grandchildren. The subjects that involve our children are many and we are enthusiastic in telling others about them. We can elaborate on how well they are doing in school, on their sports team or the joy they bring when they haven’t seen us for a while as they run to give us a hug. Those are stories about the lives of children of earthly parents and family. But what does it mean to be a child of God?
When we were even too young to remember our mother and father would call us. They called us by our names, usually a nickname, but we knew they were calling. Sometimes the call was to get our attention to do something, like don’t touch that burner on the stove or don’t pet that dog until you ask the owner…..and so many other do’s and don’ts. When we got older, the call (or text these days) was just to see if things were OK or to say “I love you.” God also calls us. “We know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 Just as we are loved by our earthly fathers (and mothers), we too are loved by our Father in heaven. That commitment to love and to do His will is one of the core parts of being a child of God.
Another element of being a child of God is to trust. When we were very small we trusted our father and mother to help and to teach us. My father taught me many things in the field of math and calculations. Some were simple, like how to read a road map and decipher all the symbols as we travelled from the east coast to California. Other lessons were more complex like learning to play the game of bridge or complete his taxes as he got older. A father and mother ( or any caring family member) needs to show a child a level of complete trust. Show them they can trust you for sound advice and teaching you can provide. As a child of God, we must learn to trust Him for all our needs. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose trust is the Lord.” Jeremiah 17:7
Still another facet of being a child of God is to please Him. The guiding principle in pleasing God can be seen in the way we act. Just as when we were growing up, we sought to please our parents (until we were teenagers and knew it all). We would please them in the way we excelled at school. We wanted A’s and B’s on our report card to show our parents and make them proud of us. We wanted to be the best player on the field or in the gym. We wanted to help our grandparents and parents do chores around the house. We did basic chores like keeping our rooms neat, mowing the lawn, washing the car and helping do some cooking and cleaning up after dinner. Just as we learned the various ways we could please our parents, we also realized that it was a challenge. Some of the choices we began to make as we got older were not good. It wasn’t as easy to be the best in the eyes of our father and mother. Still isn’t that the way it is, as we grow older and more mature?
God calls us to know Him and as we gain knowledge and wisdom from God’s word and in the community of fellow believers, we realize we are always a work in progress. As we seek to do God’s will and to please Him, God shows us the areas of our life that “need to be pruned and nurtured” so that we can grow mature in Christ. God wants us to be fruitful “ so that we may walk in the manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” Colossians 1:10
Next week we will continue with being a child of God. Here are a couple of songs for this part.