“. . . one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” Ephesians 4:6
A father is one of the most significant influences in a person’s life. So much in life is determined by who one’s father is, how he behaves, and how present he is or isn’t.
Thankfully, regardless of how amazing or absent our fathers are, in Christ we have a new and perfect Father in heaven who has adopted us into his family. We have inherited his resources, and he has transformed our entire life and destiny. Since we are now part of his family, our lives will be vastly different than they would have been apart from him.
Adoption is a legal matter. Children cannot declare themselves part of any family. The family has to decide to legally adopt children. Many families gladly and lovingly do.
Just as an orphan can’t force his way into an earthly family, neither can we force our way into God’s family. Rather, God the Father lovingly adopts us as his sons and daughters through the work of our big brother, Jesus.
Now that you’re a Christian, God the Father has freely chosen to spiritually adopt, love, and bless you. If you didn’t have a good earthly father, you now have a perfect heavenly Father. And if you did have a good earthly father, you now have the additional blessing of your perfect heavenly Father.
Read
Ephesians 1:2–3, 17; 2:18; 3:14; 4:6; 5:20; 6:23
What does each of these verses have to say about God the Father?
Prayer
Thank God the Father for gladly, willingly, and lovingly adopting you into his family through Christ.
This devotion is adapted from the Who Do You Think You Are? Study Guides with Daily Devotions resource.
