What is the significance of having God as your Father? After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to Mary in the garden, not far from the empty tomb. At first, she didn't recognize Him, but He made Himself known to her as the risen Lord. Then, He introduced her to a most profound concept with these words, "I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God" (John 20:17). He was saying that because of what He had done, God could be her Father, as well as His Father. As a result of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, it is now possible for you to be reconciled to God as your heavenly Father. There is only one kind of family relationship that can ever completely fulfill your need for belonging, and that is the family of God. Becoming a part of God's heavenly family provides the only opportunity for fulfillment of this kind. God offers each of us a place in His heavenly family. "Come out from among them, and be ye separate . . . and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty" (2 Corinthians 6:17-18). How does this affect you personally? When you receive Christ, you are born of the Spirit of God. At that moment, your Creator God becomes your heavenly Father. You become a part of the grandest family of all-the family of God. Now, God is your Father and you are His child. Paul writes, "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will" (Eph. 1:5). People often wonder what God's will is for their lives. This verse makes it very clear regarding at least one aspect of His will. He wants you! He wants to bring you into a vital union of intimate relationship with Himself. Therefore, He made provision for you to be a part of His family. When you accept Jesus Christ, He adopts you into His family. It gives God great pleasure for you to be one of His children. He is delighted to be your Father, and to lavish His tender loving care upon you. As a child of God, you are now the recipient of the heavenly Father's unconditional love and acceptance. Being a member of the family of God also provides you with a permanent place of belonging. God Himself has chosen you--you are needed, wanted, and very special. When Jesus Christ was baptized, the heavenly Father announced, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17). God, the Father, affectionately referred to His firstborn as Son. He now calls you by the very same name as your Lord. "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God" (1 John 3:1). Astounding, but it's true-God calls you His son or daughter. This term of endearment, which the Father used for His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, is now bestowed upon all of His adopted children. "That we might receive the adoption of sons" (Galatians 4:5). Yes, you have been adopted into the family of God. So, you are His child, and He's the proud Papa! "Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father" (Gal. 4:6). The word Abba is from the ancient Aramaic language commonly spoken in Jesus' day. It is an intimate, affectionate term, somewhat like our word "daddy." Because you have been granted the same filial relationship as Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit causes you to view God as Abba, Father-Daddy, God. The Royal Treatment Through Christ, we become sons and daughters of the living God. The privilege of sonship is the greatest honor that the Father can bestow upon you and me. He has chosen us to be a part of His family, each of us to be one of His very own children. Sonship is not something we have to wait until we die and go to heaven to receive. It begins right now. "Now are we the sons of God" (1 John 3:2). This is an amazing fact! Every time I consider it, I am overwhelmed. Sometimes when I attempt to share this with others, I get all choked up and teary-eyed. I am deeply moved that God has granted you and me the privilege of being His sons and daughters. You might want to take a moment to reflect on this very fact. When you became part of God's family, you entered His heavenly kingdom-one that is a spiritual kingdom. It is not of this world. Your heavenly Father has ushered you into this heavenly realm by a spiritual birth. "The kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21). God's kingdom has come into your heart and your heart has become His throne. Your heart is now the abode of the King of kings. You are seated together with Christ in the heavenly realm (Ephesians 2:6). Although you are still physically in this world, you are no longer of this world. You are now part of God's heavenly kingdom, the family of God. All hail, King Jesus! Regrettably, most Christians have yet to comprehend that they are part of the ultimate family. This is a more common dilemma than you might think. For instance, a good friend of mine belonged to one of the most exclusive private clubs in the nation. Membership in this club had been a family tradition for several generations, so it was very important for him to be a member of such an august group. However, once he began to discover his true significance as a part of the family of God, with his true identity in Christ, the club lost its appeal. He realized he no longer needed that earthly status symbol, so he gave up his membership, which was a huge decision. Perhaps you need to make a similar decision. Stop trying to get your needs met from lesser things when you are a part of the greatest One. Settle it once and for all. You already belong to the most elite group in the world-God's family! The beauty of this is that God's family is all-inclusive. Being a part of His family is available to everyone. It is a great privilege to be a part of God's family and to have God as your heavenly Father!
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Dr. Lewis Gregory (Georgia, USA) is a contributing writer for IOM America - Transformational Biblical Worldview & Exchange Life Development.
Permission obtained from writer to republish, Your Heavenly Father. Copyright � 2011, 2015 Dr. Lewis Gregory.
http://www.sourceministries.net/go/2011/03/your-heavenly-father/ Articles or portions of articles may be used without written permission, as long as credit is given to the author. Editorial changes by IOM America approved by author.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, King James Version, public domain.
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