Sons and Daughters

"But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ."
Galatians 4:4-7

When I was younger, my mother and I would stay up and watch The Late Show, which was a movie that came on after the news at 11:30 p.m. She would fall asleep at the end, and I would have to tell her the ending to the movie. But on that late show movie, many times, would be old films, that depicted wealthy people who had servants. In everyone of those old movies, the servants had some of the benefits of living in the house, such as protection, and food and clothing, but there was one key element missing: they had no ownership.

Paul is telling us, that once we were slaves to this world, but that through Jesus Christ coming to earth, born of the virgin Mary, He redeemed us, so that we would no longer have to be slaves to this world, in bondage under the yoke of sin. Not only are we no longer slaves, but as followers of Jesus Christ, through Him we have received adoption into His family. And since we have been adopted, we are part of His family, and since we are part of His family, we now are an heir to the family inheritance. That is so key, the difference between a servant and a son (or daughter).

Now, He has sent the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of His Son, to dwell within us, so that we can cry out, "Abba, Father!" We can cry out, "Daddy!" Notice it is cry out, and not just cry. We are not whining and crying, but our hearts, now released by the bondage, cry out to Him in gratitude and thanksgiving, love and acceptance, of the greatest act of love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness we can ever know.

Beloved, we are not sons and daughters in the kingdom of the King! To me, that is a staggering thought. God the Father, through His Son Jesus Christ, has made a way for us to be joint heirs with Jesus, partaking of the kingdom of heaven, and all the eternal "benefits." We now get to come running home, throw open the door, and cry out, "Daddy," with a heart full of love and worship of the One who died for us. My heart is truly humbled by the thought of His love for me, and for you. Beloved, don't ever forget, that through Jesus Christ, we are sons and daughters. His sons and daughters. Amen.