By Pastor Steve Nickodemus

Adopted In!

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

“… the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.  And by Him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
Romans 8:15b

When we held our annual men’s retreat with the theme “Men on Fire”, the 20 men at the retreat quickly bonded.  We prayed together, sang together, joked with one another, listened to one another, ate together.  Over the three days of the retreat we formed a bond like a family of brothers.

But on our last morning we felt led to add one more brother to the family.  Here is Tim, the director of our retreat center, proudly wearing his “Men on Fire” shirt.  He was “adopted” into the brotherhood, made one of the family.

That is what God has done for us.  We were alone and forsaken, sinners cast off from God and one another.  But in His mercy, our heavenly Father sent His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who died upon a cross to pay the penalty for our sins.  Through His sacrifice we are able to come into God’s family, to be adopted into the full rights of sonship.

We are no longer castoff and alone, we are included forever as heirs of the righteousness of God.  We are made one by the blood of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit seals the adoption papers.  Our names are written in the book of Life and we will live together with the Lord forever!

Being part of the family of God in Jesus is one of the greatest experiences of the Christian life.  We are baptized into His name and given a new robe of righteousness that identifies us as part of His forever family!

Lord, thank you that you died for me and opened the way for me to be part of Your family forever.  Thank you that you have made me Your child and You will never cast me off.  In Jesus, Amen.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church Colorado Springs, Colorado