One thing about me, I will not have my child looking raggedy… not if I can help it. Neither will she go without, as long as I or her daddy is able, she will be taken care of. She is mine, and her well-being is a direct reflection of me. I may not step out the house looking amazing all the time, but to look raggedy? Unkempt? No ma’am, no sir. Not I said the cat.
You probably know where I’m going with this. If I would do this for my child, how much more would God do this for His children? No matter how well-behaved or misbehaved my child acts, I will always see to her needs.
Sure, after throwing a tantrum, blatantly ignoring my voice, or having a snippy attitude, punishment ensues. Yet, no matter how ugly her behavior is, she is my child. It’s as simple as that. Look at what God said to His children when they sinned against Him.
You will know that I am the LORD, when I deal with you for my name’s sake and not according to your evil ways and your corrupt practices, you people of Israel, declares the Sovereign LORD.’”
(Ezekiel 20:44 NIV)
In this text, God promised that He would not deal with the Israelites according to their evil ways, meaning, He would show mercy. Why? For His name’s sake is what He said. Now, mind you, the children of Israel were sacrificing their own children in fire as offerings… yet, God said He would not deal with them according to their ways.
I think that if God had dealt with them according to their ways, it would not have been a reflection of His character. I would say it would've been a reflection of how badly the children of Israel misbehaved. But that’s not how God reasoned.
God choose to have mercy for His name’s sake. Thus, God must believe that His actions towards us is a reflection on Him as our Father. I suppose it’s just like no matter how horrid my daughter behaves, if I abandon her, it will be a reflection of my parenting skills, not her behavior. She is mine and her behavior will never change that.
I am not making excuses for misbehavior or sin. In fact, 1 John 3:9 states, “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God." But my point is, no matter their misbehavior, the children of Israel were always God’s children, His chosen people.
Now, are you? Are you God’s child? I’ve heard people say that we are all God’s children, to which I have to disagree. We are all God’s creation, but we are not all God’s children.
This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.
(1 John 3:10 NIV)
Did you read that? There are children of God, and then there are children of the devil. I don’t know if you recall, but Jesus did say to the Pharisees in John 8:44, “You are of your father, the devil”. So, no. Everyone isn’t God’s child.
But it’s so easy to become one. Galatians 3:26 tells us, “In Jesus Christ you are all children of God through faith, for all of you were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves in Christ.” Galatians 4 tells us that once we are adopted into Christ, God sends His Spirit and that we are no longer slaves, but God’s children.
Recently in US news, there's uproar on alleged antisemitic comments amongst celebrities such as Kanye West and Kyrie Irving. Yet, I don't see the relevance of it today. Not in regards of who can or cannot be defined as God's people. For both Jews and Gentiles have access to be God's children according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Jews have no more authority to be God's chosen people than a Gentile. So, in terms of salvation, defining who the original Hebrew people may or may not be is of no importance. We need only to ensure that we are considered God's children under the new covenant.
Today, if you have not done so already, ensure that you are God’s child. We reap the benefits of being God’s children only when we are in fact His. No other child can receive the benefits that I give to my own child. I wouldn’t mistreat anyone’s child by any means, but they will not get my time, attention, love, or loyalty the way I give to my own. And if I being evil … (Matthew 7:11 if I left you hanging).
So, let’s make sure that we are God's children. Let's also do our best to not behave as the original children of Israel did. Yet, praise God that when we do misbehave, He does not act according to our deeds. He truly is an awesome Father.
That’s all I have for you today. Be blessed! Same place and time next week, if God says the same.
Quin Arrington’s books are available on Amazon. Click the link below if you are interested in her nonfiction or fictional works. Happy Reading!