Romans 8: 14 – 17 NLT
“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 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.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory.”
Storge – love for family. Do you actually realize you are in God’s family? When you call God your Father, do you actually believe it? Does he seem like “dad” to you? Do you love to share your day with him? Do you like to talk to him?
As I wrote those questions, in my brain, I answered “yes’ to them – well, sort of yes. I do know I am part of God’s family. The Bible tells me that I belong to him. I know he is my father. I do like to talk with him for a while every day. But … in many ways, it’s more like something my brain knows. But when I compare it to what my relationship with my earthly father was like, I pause.
When I was a kid, my dad often made my day special. We knew in the winter, he’d make an ice rink in the backyard, and our house became the playground for the neighbourhood. He knew how to play a harmonica, and we’d love it as he played our favourite songs. One of my favouites as a kid was The Happy Day Express. Anyone know that one? He also would line up bottles of various sizes and fill them with water to an assortment of levels. Then you could blow on the tops of the bottles and get different notes so you could “play” a song. As a teenager, I spent a lot of time discussing my faith with him, and asking about things in the Christian faith I didn’t understand or even questioned.. As an adult, coming home for the weekend meant special times, getting advice, talking all day long.
But as a child of God, as part of his family – do I enjoy and love time spent with him? Do I look forward to talking with him? Do I spend time remembering all the things he has done for me? When I think about storge, love of family, and I stop to ponder my family relationship with God, I pause. I realize I need to enjoy my time with him more. It’s not just something I should do … it’s something I will love to do.
Read these verses about how he loves me – you. Isn’t this an amazing relationship?
Romans 8: 35 – 39
“Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.” 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Father, I’m so sorry I’ve brushed you off on my busy days. I want to spend some quality time with you today.
Our song for today is I Love You Lord by Maranatha! Singers!.