Day 13: Adopted

I’ve fasted before and felt like God was in my face…like I would say something to Him & know He’d heard me & feel His presence like never before. Not this time.

The ugly truth is, I’ve been struggling. I’ve been praying, reading the Bible more & feeling nothing. I’ve been hoping for a God-in-my-face moment and haven’t had one. But, as Tadd encouraged us, I’m pressing on to “finish strong.”

Yesterday, I felt things start to fall apart. It’s been a rough week & yesterday that brought me face to face with my weaknesses, my fears, the places that I want God to fill, but that still feel empty. I felt like I’d been stirred & shaken & what rose to the top was my own ugly need.

I’ve been so focused on Isaiah 58 & giving, loving, & serving “the needy.” But I’ve realized something. It’s really easy to have a heart to serve “the needy” while putting myself in another category. Today I feel humbled & reminded that I am also “the needy.”

As much as I’d like to think I have it together on occasion, I don’t. Without Christ I am a train wreck. My need for Him is as large as the need of the widow, those without clothes or food, and the orphan. I need Christ…desperately.

But, here’s the beautiful thing…
Jesus longs to meet our needs.
Jesus is our groom.
Jesus clothes us.
Jesus is the daily bread for each of us.
And Jesus has adopted us.

That last one is the one that has impacted me the most. My need for a savior is so huge. It’s like a newborn that can’t do anything for themself & who has no mom or dad, or an older child who’s been hurt, abused & who has gone without love & care. And, Christ adopted me.

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. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. Galatians 4:4-7

In my need & in my weakness, Jesus Christ chose me. He redeemed me from my need & adopted me into His family. He made me His daughter, His beloved. He put the Spirit of Christ inside me and that Spirit cries Abba! Daddy! Father! And, because I am His child, God made me an heir.

Today, in spite of my weaknesses, in spite of my need, I can rest in the fact that I am an heir of God’s goodness. His unconditional love, His grace, His home for me in heaven, His peace, His strength and so much more, is mine.

…and it is also yours.
Jen