Pastor Adrian and his wife, Antoinette, had two biological sons and then adopted baby Rosie several years ago. For most of Adrian’s life, he has dealt with nose bleeds—an affliction his sons have inherited. One day, little Rosie ran into the house holding her nose and grinning from ear to ear as she said, “See, Daddy, my nose is bleeding—just like Mark and John!” For Rosie, a nosebleed was another way of identifying with her adopted family.
Identifying with one’s adoptive family can sometimes be a challenge—something the church in Ephesus found to be true. Coming from diverse backgrounds of ethnicity and culture, the Jews and Gentiles in the church often clashed over who was right. Through Jesus Christ, the Gentiles had been adopted into the family of God and were now legitimate heirs of God with full access to an inheritance that had previously been reserved only for the Jews (Ephesians 1:12-13, 3:6). The apostle Paul reminds us that “God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 1:5).
Just as a nosebleed gave Rosie another way to identify with her adopted family, there are unique traits that prove believers in Jesus are a part of God’s family. Paul urges us to turn away from the destructive habits of a lifestyle without Christ and challenges us to be imitators of God by living a life of love (Ephesians 4:22-31, 5:1-18). He also implores us to be kind and compassionate, forgiving one another, and submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 4:32, 5:21).
By the power of our loving God who has adopted us, may we reflect His light and life to a world who needs Him (Ephesians 5:8-9)!
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Genesis 19:15-29
More:
Read 1 John 3:7-10 for more desired qualities of believers in Jesus.
Next:
Are you living as a child of God, bearing fruit that proves you’re adopted into His family? What does it mean for you to identify with members of your adoptive family in Christ?
Gary Shultz on January 11, 2016 at 7:06 am
Life in Christ is a wonderful thing. I think, like the story we do enjoy it when we can identify with marks of adoption. Something our search brings us, identical thoughts that writers unfold here, and many other manifestations. We see our life path dotted with descriptions others have experienced. But nothing greater than to stand in God’s presence and thank Him that we are finding more marks of Him on us. Thanks Ruth
Ruth O'reilly-smith on January 11, 2016 at 3:09 pm
Beautifully said Gary – my prayer is that those around us would recognize that we are indeed children of God – through who we are and by how we live, no matter the circumstance.
Tom Felten on January 11, 2016 at 9:21 am
Ruth, yesterday we had our quarterly “family sharing” service at our local church. As people shared their joys and pains I was reminded again how important it is for us to continue to “meet together” and “encourage” one another within the Body of Christ (Hebrews 10:23-25). God has given us Himself, but He’s also given us one another.
Ruth O'reilly-smith on January 11, 2016 at 3:20 pm
I’ve been through some pretty tough stuff lately and the temptation in some of those moments has been to withdraw from the family of God. However, as I’ve stepped out in faith and placed myself right in the middle of a thriving community of people who love God and love me, I’ve been strengthened and sustained. I love that I am adopted into God’s family – it’s life to any weary soul.
gagirllive on January 11, 2016 at 10:29 am
It seems that I am meeting more and more people who claim to be Christians but want nothing to do with church. They are content to go it alone. I’ve tried to gently remind them that if they were born again, they were born into a “family”…they are part of a “body”. We need each other, and we need to bear fruit that identifies us as being in the family of God. Thanks for the reminder, Ruth. By the way, I really like the picture that went with this devotional. God’s family comes in all colors! 🙂
Ruth O'reilly-smith on January 11, 2016 at 3:33 pm
Years ago, I traveled from South Africa to Malaysia to teach. While there, I felt desperate for a connection with God’s family. I was amazed to find a Bible-believing church only five minutes walk from where I lived. Although I was surrounded by communities from all over the world, I felt ‘at home’ – this was family, God’s family. In the past, I’ve made an effort to live apart from God’s family, but I’ve been desperately unhappy. I am able to be who God intended me to be when I surrender to the joy of being a child of God in the house of God, surrounded by my brothers and sisters in Christ.
Roxanne Robbins on January 11, 2016 at 10:53 am
As an adoptive mom, this post resonated deeply. I particularly valued your emphasis on embracing our adoption status — as children of God — by turning from destructive habits of a lifestyle without Christ. Good counsel!
Ruth O'reilly-smith on January 11, 2016 at 3:41 pm
As an adopted child of God, I must renew my mind daily and remind myself regularly of what that looks like. I was challenged recently to make sure that the fruit of the Spirit is flowing out me on a daily basis – The evidence that I am part of God’s family manifests itself through things like the fruit of the Spirit – “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
Ruth O'reilly-smith on January 12, 2016 at 1:06 am
This adoption into the family of God is a gift – it’s not something we have to earn or work for – it’s something we receive and live in. So, live as children of God – you don’t have to try and prove that you are a child of God, just be a child of God (Ephesians 2:8)