A Son
So I was reading my bible this morning during my devotion time, and I came across a verse that hit me pretty hard. I’m reading Romans right now, and it’s ok. It wasn’t really speaking too much to where I was at until this verse.
For those who aren’t followers of Jesus, let me explain some things first that hopefully will help you get the context. When you decide to follow Jesus, he gives you a gift. it’s called the Holy Spirit. Many people who haven’t experienced it dont believe in it, but once you have felt it there is no denying it. It’s not something that you feel all the time, or even most of the time, indeed, sometimes it feels as if it’s missing. But it’s more than a feeling. It’s our direct chennel to God, a part of him that we feel in our hearts. Don’t mistake this with the “god within us” new age theology. i’ts not within us, it’s from without, a part of God himself, that He rests in our hearts.
This may seem a bit wierd to you, so let me go back. before Jesus walked the earth no one had direct contact with God except for the high priests, and even for them it wasn’t very often, they had to go into this elaborate temple sheilded from the otside so people wold be blinded or die from the might of God (some people did). Anyway, for the most part the general population just had to follow the rules, and trust the priests that they were going to heaven. There was no personal interaction, no direct communication between God and an individual. It must have been very hard and frightening for many people back then.
When Jesus came he changed things. When He died, part of the deal was he gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit, so that all people across the earth could have a direct line to God, if they “accept” Christ as their Lord fully and unconditionally in their hearts. It’s pretty complicated, and I’m not doing a very good job of explaining. It’s truly beyond the explainable.
Pretty airy stuff if you’ve never felt it for yourself, so if you haven’t please bear with me. You may be wondering, what does this Holy Spirit do? What does it feel like? What is it for? Why is it there? Thats where this verse came in. You can check it out if you want, it’s in the Book of Romans, Chapter 8 verses 15- 16
“For you did not recieve a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you recieved the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”
Wow. It just hit me, and the Holy Spirit spoke to me through the words. Out of all the times I’ve ever heard anyone speak on the Holy Spirit, I’ve never heard any of them refer to it in this manner. Sometimes we get caught up in the complexities of what this does and what that means, and sometimes I think we are just so high on ourselves we miss the point. One big thing that the Holy Spirit is there for is to let us know in a direct way that we are God’svery own children, and he cares for us, individually, not as a people, or as a culture, but as a person. Amazing, when I read those words it was just like getting a big hug and having God whisper in my ear. “I love you, my son, don’t ever forget that.” I screw up just as much as anybody else, but God will never with hold his sonship. It’s amazing to get these little embraces through scripture, to have someone bigger than yourself tell you its all OK. i can’t always feel th Holy Spirit, but I know it’s there, I’ve gone through way too much to even try and say otherwise. and I know that through it God is saying to me that He loves me and I am his son. If you have children of your own (I don’t) I imagine this analogy will hold a lot of weight for you.
Please don’t take this verse out of context. If you aren’t a “Christian”, God still considers you his child and loves you very much, but without the Holy Spirit, he has no way to tell you directly. If this speaks to you i would strongly suggest picking up a bible and checking out the Gospel of hjohn, it’s towards the back, in the new testament, and it tells all about Jesus, how He loved, and the stuff He did, and how He wants everyone to have the Holy Spirit. It’s not something thats meant to make you part of an exclusive “club”, or to separate “christians” from the rest. In fact, I’m not sure many who call themselves “Christians” have ever even experienced the Holy Spirit.No…it’s not something meant to divide, set apart of place anyone above or before anybody else, rather something to fill your life and better allow you to spread and exhibit the love of god in your own life. It’s amazing. When I first felt it it was like I was seeing the workd in colour after a lifetime of viewing it in black and white. It’s totally amazing. We’re his children, and he loves us. So simple, yet something each of us needs to hear:)
I’m smiling:)
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