First Steps

So here we are at the end of the week It's FRIDAY! YES! time to prepare for the weekend BUT before we do let's take a moment to reflect on this past week and be GRATEFUL for ALL GOD has brought us throw with these words of wisdom Read: Romans 8:14-17 Bible in a Year: Song of Solomon 6-8; Galatians 4 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. —Romans 8:16 A friend stopped me the other day with some exciting news and then spent 10 minutes describing for me the first steps of her 1-year-old nephew. He could walk! Later I realized how bizarre we might have sounded to an eavesdropper. Most people can walk. What was the big deal? It struck me that childhood provides a quality of specialness that nearly vanishes for the rest of life. Thinking about our treatment of children gave me further appreciation for the fact that God chooses the word picture of “children” to describe our relationship with Him. The New Testament announces that we are God’s children, with all the rights and privileges of worthy heirs (Rom. 8:16-17). Jesus (the “one and only” Son of God) came, we’re told, to make possible our adoption as sons and daughters in God’s family. I imagine God views each halting step forward in my spiritual “walk” with the eagerness of a parent watching a child take that very first step. Perhaps when the secrets of the universe are finally revealed, we will learn an underlying purpose of watching children grow. It may be that God has granted us these times of specialness to awaken us to His infinite love. Of the fullness of that love, our experiences here on earth are mere glimpses. —Philip Yancey Loving heavenly Father, increase our awareness of Your love for us and Your delight in us so we can show the world the difference You make in our lives. You are loved. INSIGHT: Notice in today’s Bible reading the extensive nature of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Paul tells us that the Spirit leads us as God’s children (v. 14), enables us through adoption to call God our Father (v. 15), and affirms God’s saving work in our hearts (v. 16). It is one of the truly great passages in the New Testament on the work of the Spirit in our lives—and one we should celebrate! Bill Crowder