Recently Adopted Son

Stand and speak...all that I command you to speak. It may be they will listen, and every one turn from his evil way, that I may relent of the disaster that I intend to do to them because of their evil deeds. (Jeremiah 26:2,3)

Do you feel like giving up? Jeremiah was ready to give up. But, God is eager to bless if only His people will listen and turn toward Him. God allows His servants to suffer in the hope that others will listen and turn from seeking "their own way". Even Jesus, His own Son was sent and allowed to suffer torture and death. Yet, it is hard for any one of us to genuinely hear and actually change our mind. When I look back and see where I had times of change of mind, they often involved years of closed ears before a point of effective action was reached. I appreciate those (especially my bride) who did not and do not give up on me.

It is not often that we associate ourselves with those who do “evil deeds”. Yet, Jesus warned that even those who preach or heal the sick in His name may be rejected because He does not know them. Proverbs warns that even compassion is cruel if a man’s heart is wrong (Proverbs 12:10). In the book of John, Jesus warned that all our deeds are futile unless we are connected to the True Vine. The temptation is to think, “My life is not bad. I do good things.” But, unless we are tuned into the Lover of our Soul, it is all waste and ultimately accomplishes evil.

The foundation of salvation is relationship. We are called to a relationship with God which is closer than the best marriage relationship and He constantly calls us closer to Him. This world is so noisy that His voice is often drowned out. But, if we have His Spirit in us, we will eventually hear the Father calling to each of us, his adopted son. An active, living relationship with Jesus will be reflected in our actions but our actions do not make up for a missing relationship. One reason the good deeds of the wicked are hated by God is that they are the self deceptions of a man that God wants as a son. Those “good deeds” keep the wandering man from hearing the truth and sincerely admitting his need to himself and to God. We can not please God without faith in Him, and faith is impossible without His Spirit in us to help us to know Him. The seal of our salvation is the Spirit of Christ living in us making us a true son or daughter of the Creator. Acting as a recently adopted son, let's each seek to actually hear, deeply know and fully obey our new Father.

Project:

• Ask God how to draw closer to Him.
• Add to your life scheduled times and planned ways of seeking a deeper relationship with God.

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