May 16th Reflection by Bill Lynch

Romans 8:14–17

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

Reflection
Daddy, Daddy, Daddy! Mama, Mama, Mama! Gamaw, Gamaw, Gamaw! Pepaw, Pepaw, Pepaw! We cry out for attention. We are excited to tell something new that we learned or we want the attention of someone, so we persistently cry out. When we cry out, we witness to the one we cry. We witness that we belong to that person. We mostly witness that the person we cry out to is ours and we belong to them. We have accepted that person as a person that loves us and accepts us as we are.

We feel and know the love of God in Christ Jesus. We know that love and now that the curtain has been torn open to the Holy of Holies by Jesus death on the cross, God comes to us. God rushes to us. The wind of God overtakes us and involves us in God's mission and plan of salvation. We are saved and are part of this very same reason that Jesus came to this world. God is close. So now we know to cry out to our Heavenly Father boldly and lovingly when we want God's attention. We feel the love of God and love God when we cry out to him, "Abba!, Father!" Mommy! Daddy! Gamaw! Pepaw!

Through Jesus death, we are Children of God and we believe it! Yes, we believe that God is our hope and salvation. We believe it and we act it out boldly as a child seeks the parent. We now are convinced by what God has done and we believe in God firmly enough to cry Abba!

Through Jesus, our adoption to God the Father is complete. And God seals that adoption by pouring out the Spirit upon us in such great amounts that it fills our hearts, our minds and our spirit. God fills us to overflowing on purpose. We spill out into the world and witness to the love of God through Jesus and through our adoption as a Child of God!

Oh how the waters of baptism pour freely and abundantly, day after day, as we rise to new life in God. Even though we sin and fall short, we are fulfilled in the forgiveness of that sin through Jesus and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon us that we are free from the bondage of sin. We are no longer held back by sin, but we are free to live a life dedicated to God. We live our lives free for God's purpose and plan. We live our lives in praise to all that God has done. We live our lives telling about our adoption.

And the life we live is obvious to all the world. We are God's! Dada! Dada! Dada! Guess what happened today? You won't believe it!

Prayer
Dada! I come to you knowing that you love me. I love you too!... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen