In this first video of a series of ten, I offer an imaginative letter from Jesus. Listen or read to be encouraged that we are welcome in the family of God, with both privileges and responsibilities.
This is from a seminar I led a few years ago on an always relevant topic of emotional and spiritual growth. The questions below can help with expanding these beginning thoughts.
The Lord bless you and keep you all your days.
Jesus Christ
l Golden Way
New Jerusalem
Dear Little One,
Welcome to the Family! I am so glad to have this opportunity to greet you in the name of Father. We, along with the Holy Spirit, are absolutely delighted to invite you into this new identity. I understand that you have mixed feelings about being adopted into our Family. It's ok to be afraid of how your new Parent might act. I know you have certain expectations about parents because of the way your first parents acted towards you. I am very interested in hearing all about your old life and in telling you about this new life.
We'll take time soon for you to fill me in on the important pieces of your old life, but right now I want to tell you a bit about what you can expect from Father as your new parent. As in any family, there are both privileges and responsibilities. All these privileges and responsibilities are written out in more detail in our Family History Book, the Bible, but I just want to sketch out a few of them to get you started.
First and most important, there is a Parent in this Family. Father is the final authority, but please don't let that frighten you Because Father always exerts His authority towards His kids in loving ways. And His love is the real thing--not like some of the "love" you've experienced in your old life. Father's love motivates him to think of what you need to be what he's made you to be. And there's nothing you need to do or say to earn His love. Father loves because it is His nature of love. Now, I know that's a little hard to believe--this perfect love--because you've never experienced it before, but it's actually true that Father loves you, just as you are! So, that's the really important privilege in Father's family--well, there's two of them, I guess--first, that there is a Parent and then that He loves you and wants you to be part of His Family.
The responsibility in Father's Family is to believe in and respond to that love. That doesn't sound like much, but it'll take everything you have to do it well. Actually, it'll take more than you have--that's what the Holy Spirit does--He gives you what you need to really believe in Father's love and respond in faith and hope and love to Him.
Forgiveness is the foundational act of love that Father bestows and that He expects us to bestow. I know what it costs to forgive....I also know what it costs not to forgive. We'll talk more about forgiveness later, but I did want to give you some idea of what you will be responsible for in the new Family.
But, you won't ever be alone. Ever since you joined the Family, the Holy Spirit has been with you. He will continue to be a Comforter and Helper to you. And I'm always here, too. I always understand what you are experiencing because I've been in the flesh, too, don't forget. And whenever you want to visit with Father, I'll go with you. He wants to see you as soon as possible, but He sent me to greet you first since I'm closer to your size. He realizes He can be a little scary to a new kid coming in. But He wants you to know that He loves you dearly and looks forward to a good long visit with you.
So, Welcome to the Family!
Love,
Jesus
Questions:
What are other privileges of adoption into God's family?
Other responsibilities?
What kinds of "love" have you experienced?
How do you respond to authority?
What thoughts do you have about forgiveness?
Welcome to the Family! #1 of Healing Our Hurts God’s Way