Romans 8:15 –
So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”
Wow another great chapter, bet you though I would pick 8:28! Or verse 31, or a plethora of other verses that speak so many truths. I hope your eyes have been open like mine while reading this chapter; it is full of so many insights to God and our relationship with him. I would suggest taking more time in the day to “digest” what Paul is saying in this chapter, from our sinful nature to God “having our backs”!
I love this comparison of God to a loving father. I look at my own father can see God’s relationship with us more clearly. Also, my relationship with you two have opened my eyes to God’s heart and how He relates to us. It’s hard to explain where you want to give all the love you possibly can, but at the same time not wanting to smother or spoil you. God has been doing this for millenniums, where the 20 years or so I have been doing this has been flawed. I think as we watch God’s relationship with the Israelites, it’s almost like a father growing along with the people.
That is a no-no in the “theological” world to imply that God changed over time. He still is what He is, but I think either the people have changed in relating to Him, or He has become more tolerant. This is a personal idea which I will be exploring and studying for some time. Fathers grow with the children, so why could God not have “grown” or at least changed his approach to us.
The key to this verse is how God is our father and not our genie. We can’t expect God to give us a lottery win while we are buying some “forties” to get wasted on. If God wants us to be rich, he will make sure we are ready and not just give us what we want when we want it. We can see how disrespectful spoiled brats can be, imagine if God spoiled us? Would we be responsible or would we whine for more? Just remember to look at God’s love through the prism of a father.