Permanently His Own - Daughters of Promise - June 21, 20178

PERMANENTLY HIS OWN
Christine Wyrtzen

But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children.  Psalm 103:17

To me, there's nothing more tragic than a son or daughter of God fearing being disowned by their heavenly Father.  They go to bed each night wondering if they did enough good that day to ensure that they are still a 'child of God.'

I've talked with many who don't believe in the eternal security of their salvation.  They argue that an earthly father can disown a child, or a child can leave home, declare himself free of his family, and never return to home turf again.  That is all true.  However, if DNA testing were done on the father and child, evidence would still show that they are still very much father and child.

Scripture speaks of being born again into the kingdom through faith in Christ.  Birth into any family means a new and permanent identity.  I am called a child of God.  There are many days I don't feel like His child, even act like His child, yet I am because at age seven, I made a decision to repent of my sins and trust Jesus as my Savior.  No disgracing behavior can erase whom I belong to.  If I had decided along the way to say that I had somehow disqualified myself from being His child, my proclamation wouldn't have nullified my adoption.  No matter what I say or do today, it's irrelevant as far as my adoption papers.  Though I may break my Father's heart when I sin, He is still my Father.  When I come limping home, He will be scanning the horizon, looking for my face to appear.

Perhaps you struggle with your faith when the sun goes down.  When you think of the 2nd coming of Christ, you fear you will be left. Perhaps you suffer from a disease where your days ahead of you are few.  The thought of dying seizes your heart with fear.  Review Jesus' words.  If you trusted Him once, trusted Him sincerely to be your Savior, then He has you in His hand and no one or no 'thing' can snatch you out of it.  The same hand that created the world, threw the stars into place, and causes the sun to rise in the morning and keep our earth on its axis, can (and does) hold you in a firm grip.

Help me understand that I am Your child because You desired it.  I didn't earn the privilege nor can I dis-earn it.  I am kept by You, ever secure no matter what.  I rest in You.  Amen