“Dear friends, now we are children of God.” 1 John 3:2 NIV
Martyn Lloyd-Jones writes in Children of God (Crossway, p. 23), “I do feel that this is perhaps the greatest weakness of all in the Christian church, that we fail to realise what we are, or who we are.” He goes on to say that most of our unhappiness is due to our failure to relate our trials to our glorious position as children of God. He adds (p. 24), “If only we realised who we are, then the problem of conduct would almost automatically be solved . . . The more I read the New Testament, the more I am impressed by the fact that every appeal for conduct and good living and behaviour is always made in terms of our position.” Godly conduct rests on our understanding of our true, great position as children of God. If we begin to see this truth and allow it to shape our identity, it works out like this: We may be tempted to engage in some sin or to join the world in some degrading form of entertainment. But we think, “I can’t do that because I am a child of God and it would disgrace the name of my heavenly Father.” Or we read the Bible and it convicts us that some of our behaviour is not godly. It may be lustful thoughts or a grumbling, ungrateful attitude or words that put others down. Perhaps we frequently bend the truth to cover up our own misdeeds. But when Scripture confronts us, we think, “I am now a child of God. I can’t do that as a member of His family.” Our new identity motivates us to grow in holiness. May we grasp the importance of the foundation of our present position as children of God, in Christ Jesus.
PRAYER THOUGHT
Lord, may we never forget the importance of being Your child.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
Heavenly Father, may our new identity motivate us to grow in holiness. May we never forget the importance of the foundation of our present position as children of God, in Christ Jesus. AMEN
I.B.R.A. Readings
1 Chronicles 13:1-14
LISTEN TO TODAY’S DEVOTION
If you received our daily emails, please listen to today’s devotion on our website www.ffdl.co.za
On Facebook follow this link to start listening.