I will share about Christian books I have read or listened to.
I will be sharing about my life before and after Christ. I will include stories about my pet and other pets I have encountered.
Receiving Adoption
Galatians 4:4-5 says, “But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.”
“But when the set time had fully come…”
Meticulously crafted and precisely prepared for, God’s plan was carried out to the final detail. When the moment came for the Messiah to be born, it wasn’t a surprise or an accident. It was right on time. It was one holy moment where all of creation could at last exhale, “Finally.”
“God sent his Son, born of a woman…”
The Son of God left heaven to be born. What could be a more humble act of sacrifice? He took on human form and lived His life here on earth.
“Born under the law, to redeem those under the law…”
God's law includes standards that men and women could never have lived up to on their own. Jesus, born under the law, lived a life no one else ever had—a perfect one. And in living a perfect life, He not only fulfilled the requirements of the law, He bore our burden of righteousness and gave it to us freely. He redeemed us. From under the law to being in Christ, we know what redemption is because the one perfect person came to redeem us.
“... that we might receive adoption to sonship…”
Read that last part again: ”that we might receive adoption to sonship.” That we might become the family of God. We “receive” because we are no longer earning. We receive “adoption” because He is bringing us in. We have “sonship” because we are His own. But take one more look at that third word: “Might."
This adoption isn’t forced. It isn’t required, it isn’t demanded, and it isn’t a result of coercion or pressure. It’s an invitation. It’s a choice. It’s not conditional based on who you are, where you’re from, or the things you’ve done. It’s simply a chance to receive. Just receive.
Are you ready to be adopted into the family of God? Are you ready to receive the righteousness Jesus gave everything for you to have? It’s yours to receive. You don’t have to wait a minute longer. Your adoption is three words away:
“Jesus, I believe.”
Responding to God at All Times
Throughout our lives, we will all experience both suffering and joy. We'll have times of great grief and times of overflowing happiness. Sometimes, they’ll be separate seasons—but other times, these experiences come together.
In either case and in any situation, James expected Christians to come to God. If someone was suffering, prayer was the call to action. If someone was cheerful, people were to pause and praise God.
This might seem obvious, but when suffering clouds our thinking, we can sometimes forget to prioritize prayer. And when things are going well and we're feeling cheerful, it’s easy to just enjoy our season and not stop long enough to praise God for it. But every season of life is actually just an opportunity to put into practice what James wrote about…
When we are suffering, let us pray. When those around us are suffering, let us pray. When we are cheerful or happy, let us praise God. When others are happy, let us praise God with ...
