I AM ACCEPTED
In some of the coming weeks we shall be reflecting on the theme
‘In Christ I am ……’ Future readings include:
Week beginning Sunday 5th May I AM SIGNIFICANT
I am a branch of Jesus Christ, the true vine. John 15:5
I am God’s workmanship. Ephesians 2:10
I am seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm. Ephesians 2:6
I am God’s temple. 1 Cor 3:16
I am a minister of reconciliation for God. 2 Cor 5:17-21
Week beginning Sunday 2nd June I AM SECURE
I am a citizen of Heaven. Philippians 3:20
I cannot be separated from the love of God. Romans 8:31-39
I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me. 1 John 5:18
I am assured that God always works for my good. Romans 8:28
I am confident that God will complete the good work he started in me. Philippians 1:6
v 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
I am God’s child.
Researching one’s genealogy has become one of today’s hobbies. The TV series ‘Who do you think you are?’ is just the tip of an iceberg of interest. I’ve not seen all the programmes by any means, but even those I have seen have thrown up all kinds of interesting facts about a person’s family history. What else could have brought to light a family connection between an East Enders star of today and an ancient British royal family! Or between a British Olympic gold medallist and William the Conqueror? I’m not aware of much of my family history – that kind of research has never appealed to me. (Although I did find it intriguing that some of Jill’s ancestors are buried in the churchyard at Itchingfield – a place I often ran through on cross-country runs in my school days.) As far as I know I have no grand connections in my family history – and nor, I hope, do any dark and dirty secrets lie buried in my lineage.
But – and it’s a mighty big BUT – I share a family connection with many of you reading these notes
today. It is not a blood line or some shared DNA, it is our common bond as children of God. We share a
faith connection, through Jesus, as members of a spiritual family – we are children of God.
We believed Jesus when he said he came as Saviour, and we accepted him as the Lord of our lives.
These are the causal spiritual connections that identify us as God’s children. That was his promise to all
who believed him and accepted him.
This is so much more than just birth as a human being; it is spiritual birth into a family uniquely related to
God through Jesus. This family connection has many implications and we shall be reflecting on some of
them this week.