by Richelle Hecker

Becoming more like Him.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link. 

I love this sweet photo my dad sent me from his home. His young dog, Willow, took it upon herself to adopt his baby pygmy goat when its mother abandoned it. We do not know why the mother goat walked away from her kid right after it was born, but Willow stepped up to love it.

They are a strange and unexpected couple to behold. I’ve seen videos of Willow trying to nurture her kid by licking it, while the kid keeps trying to climb up and stand on her back. Although they are similar in coloring, the likenesses appear to stop there. Still, no matter how different they are from one another, there is no doubt that they love each other. Willow does her best to lead her kid in the right direction.

This couple reminds me a bit of us and our very loving Father. We were not only born orphans, but slaves. Yet, our Heavenly Father made a way for us to become his adopted children. Not only that, we are His heirs!

“But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.”
Galatians 4:4-7 New American Standard Bible

We are born very different from God, but as we grow in His love, He teaches us to act as His children. We represent Him in all that we say and do, because He claims us as His own. Sometimes we err and return to our old ways, like this little goat climbing on His mother’s back. Yet, we know that God loves us, forgives us, and gently leads us back in the right direction. As we follow, we become more like Him.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado