1 John 3:1 See what great love the Father has
lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what
we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. (NIV)
Like most of us, there are times and days when I rely on God’s love more than anything else. When I become
weary or anxious, I need God’s assurance to pull me through those moments. When
I feel depressed or confused, I lean on God’s understanding to help me find His
light. And when I’m angry with myself or out of sorts with the rest of the
world, I greatly require God’s peace to abide in my heart and mind.
In today’s Bible verse, the apostle John tells us that we
are God’s children. What a wonderful blessing! God calls us His children not
because we’re perfect or saintly, but because Jesus has claimed that title for
us. He has taken away the consequences of our sin and restored us to God’s
delight and pleasure. Christ has become our elder Brother, who is willing to
guide and bless us as His younger siblings, especially in our times of loss and
grief, loneliness and isolation.
I don’t know about you, but today I need God to be very
close to me, to embrace and encourage me, and to hold and help me. Without God,
life at times would be both unmanageable and unbearable. With Him beside me, I
can stumble through the darkness and eventually come into Christ’s light.
Wherever you are today and whatever you are going through,
please know this: You are a child of God’s grace and love. You are not alone.
His Spirit is with you and you are dear to God’s heart.
Questions
for personal reflection
What am I feeling today? How can God help me?
Prayer: Loving
God, we thank You for Your Presence in our lives, especially when our minds are
troubled and our feelings are unsettled. Allow us the gift of Your peace in our
hearts and souls. Help us to know that we are loved by You, so that our spirits
may be uplifted. In Christ’s Name, we make this heartfelt prayer. Amen.
John Stuart is the pastor
of Erin Presbyterian Church in
Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask questions about
today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.
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