An Awakening from Brokenness, Grief, Healing, Hope, Words of Endurance

What marvelous love the Father has extended to us!
Just look at it—we’re called children of God!
That’s who we really are.
1 JOHN 3:1 (THE MESSAGE)

So I asked God – after the imposter had been identified and my masks were removed – who am I? And I learned that I am a child of God – not just any child – but Abba’s child!

And because we are his children,
God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,
prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”
Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child.
And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.
GALATIANS 4:4-7 (NLT)

And I learned that I am loved regardless of my imperfections! This was so important for me to know because I have so many imperfections and every time one of them is exposed I feel shame and want to hide for fear that I will lose His love but what is even more exciting to me is that as children of God we are assured …

“… that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love.”
ROMANS 8:38 (NLT)

And nothing can change who we truly are – we are Abba’s children! Brennan Manning shares in Abba’s Child …

“My dignity as Abba’s child is my most
coherent sense of self. When I seek to
fashion a self-image from the adulation
of others and the inner voice whispers,
‘You’ve arrived; you’re a player in the
Kingdom Enterprise,’ there is no truth
in that self-concept. When I sink into
despondency and the inner voice whispers,
‘You are no good, a fraud, a hypocrite, and
a dilettante,’ there is no truth in any image
shaped from that message. As Gerald May
has noted, “It is important to recognize
these self-commentaries for the mind tricks
they are. They have nothing to do with our
real dignity. How we view ourselves at any
given moment may have very little to do
with who we really are.”

So because of whom we really are we can experience an intimate, trusting and loving relationship with our Abba Father freeing us to live the resurrection life that has been given to us from Him. We need not live our lives fearfully but fearlessly on the expectant adventure that our Papa will love and lead us through till we receive our eternal inheritance!

This resurrection life you received from God
is not a timid, grave-tending life.
It’s adventurously expectant,
greeting God with a childlike
“What’s next, Papa?”
God’s Spirit touches our spirits
and confirms who we really are.
We know who he is,
and we know who we are:
Father and children.
And we know we are going
to get what’s coming to us—
an unbelievable inheritance!
ROMANS 8:15-17 (THE MESSAGE)

On the Journey with You,
Jan Dravecky