The Way DAY 8 - You Are My Beloved Son

DAY 8: You Are My Beloved Son

Romans 8:15

So Jesus steps into the water when the Holy Spirit descends on him and a voice speaks. It’s a mysterious picture of the trinity: God the Father talking to God the Son as God the Spirit rests on Jesus. Jesus is commissioned for ministry by the Spirit’s anointing and the Father’s approval - all before he heads into spiritual battle. 

In one sense, God the Father cannot say to anyone else what he said to Jesus. Nobody is the Father’s son like Jesus. But through faith and baptism, we ARE God’s sons and daughters by adoption. The apostle Paul later says in Romans 8:15, “The Spirit you received [in Christ] brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father’.”

So the Father does say to you what he says to Jesus! No, you’re not the Messiah, but you are loved. You please God simply by existing. Jesus didn’t come to make us lovable. He came because we’re loved. The gospel is not, “Turn to Jesus to make God love you.” The gospel is, “Turn to Jesus BECAUSE God loves you.”

This is grace: undeserved and UNEARNED favor from God. It’s everywhere in the Bible. The gospel urges us to accept our acceptance. Like Jesus, accept the fact that God loves you no matter what. That doesn’t mean God approves of everything you do. Love is not approval. Love is wanting what’s best for someone. Nobody will ever want that for you more than God. Accept your acceptance.

REFLECT
What’s your “gut response” to the fact that God loves you no matter what?

PRAY
Lord, you love me. I didn’t do anything to deserve your attention or affection, but you give it anyway. Thank you!