December 17th - Reflection

Galatians 4:1-7 (NRSV)
God's Son, sent in the fullness of time

My point is this: heirs, as long as they are minors, are no better than slaves, though they are the owners of all the property; but they remain under guardians and trustees until the date set by the father. So with us; while we were minors, we were enslaved to the elemental spirits of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.

Reflection
God is so amazing! Here I can see a Father with his children. As the children grow, generally it is a given that at a certain time in their lives the parents will declare those children mature adults. Sure, they will always be "the kids" but they will also be adults inheriting all you, as parents, have prepared for them in this world. This is just the way it has been for years. Some variations in age and inheritance. Some variations in what is given to the children, but this is a life tradition.

So God has prepared all along, as our Father, our salvation. God was waiting for "the fullness of time" - that moment that was precisely correct for all humanity to receive Jesus. As if he were filling a cup of water drop by drop; day by day; when the cup was precisely full, or the day was exactly correct, our heavenly Father sent his Son into the world for our salvation.

Born of a woman. So now the gift was truly divine and truly human, both at once. Born under the same law that all of us exist under. Jesus, divine and human, permits our heavenly Father to adopt all the children, not just the Chosen but all of us. And now we too can cry out to our heavenly Father --- Daddy! Daddy!

God is so amazing! A plan for our adoption and our salvation before we were even born! Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord, you are awesome. You loved me and saved me before I was conceived. You loved me and redeemed me ahead of time. Talk about a gift! And all I need do is believe and accept the gift. Thank you Lord! I could never repay you for what you have done, but I'm sure glad to be your child! I wanna love you and others just like you have shown and taught me to love...today...tomorrow...and forever. --- Amen