Acel Van Ommen: You are a Child of the KingHalimbawa

SONSHIP

“Heaven meets Earth like an unforeseen kiss… I don’t have time to maintain these regrets when I think about the way He loves us.” - How He loves by John Mark McMillan.

This song made me think about my 2 sons, and how much I love them. I catch myself smiling when I stare at them. I smother them with kisses on their cheeks and their toes. Oh how I really do love them!

Yes, there are times that they disobey, and throw tantrums to get what they want. These are times when I know I have to discipline them, so it would go well with them when they grow up. Though I know they will misbehave again, my love for them won’t change. I will get hurt as I try my best to raise them up godly, but I will never disown them when they fail. They can still eat with us, sleep in their room, and stay in my house because they are my children.

I was thinking about this, and I remembered how God loves us. He is like a father who kisses his son lovingly. That’s the kind of intimacy He wants to have with us. He is offering us a relationship like of that a father and child-not a relationship purely based on rules and rituals.

In Romans 8:15 it says that we did not receive a spirit that makes us a slave again to fear, but we received the Spirit of son-ship, and by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Aramaic word “Abba” implies total trust (www.christiandoctrine.com). Calling God as our Abba, Father reflects a personal relationship, and at the same time shows reverence to God as one who is Holy.

This statement made me ask what the connection of being a slave to fear is with having the knowledge of being a child of God.

In the olden times, slavery is common. The slaves are sold and owned. A slave just follows the rules and duties assigned to him, without knowing the heart of the master towards him. If the master is not happy with the slave, they can just be replaced or punished. That’s why a slave is afraid to displease their master.

The son however, has the favor of the master of the house, because the master is his father. The son receives the love and the acceptance of the father even without performing. When a son makes a mistake, he can still run to the father to ask for forgiveness.

This is the kind of relationship God is offering us. He is a perfect father who holds perfect love for his children that drives away our fears and makes us secure. He made a way for us to have that kind of relationship with Him. Jesus His son died for us so we can be reconciled to Him.

That kind of love leads us to love Him wholeheartedly. It’s a love that compels us to trust Him and obey Him completely.