From Orphans of the World to Children of God
I recently heard an excellent illustration of our Christian experience. I’ll try to relate it here.
There was a couple in Virginia, who adopted seven orphans from Russia. (The children were all from the same family.) Russian orphanages were not the best places in the world for young children. The children had picked up some survival habits that were no longer necessary, and indeed maybe even harmful to their new family life. For instance, they would hide food in their beds because in the orphanage the only way they could be sure of their next meal was to horde food. Their new father constantly pointed out that this was no longer needed, as all the food in the kitchen was theirs. Another issue was that when bed time came, the children would fold their clothes and put them in their bed as well. As orphans, if they didn’t guard their clothes, their clothes would be stolen. Again their father reassured them that they’d have clean clothes every morning if they could only trust him. Occasionally, as it was the way of orphans, things would disappear from their neighbor’s yards. Their father had to remind them that their needs would be met, and they no longer had to take what they could get in order to survive.
You see, that on the plane flight from Russia to Virginia, they were changed from orphans to children of a new family. In the same way, when we accept Christ as Lord we become changed from orphans of this world to children of the Living God. (Galatians 3:26) So, stop hiding food in your bed, give generously of the first-fruits of your increase. (Malachi 3:8-10) Stop trying to take care of your own clothing, accept the righteousness of Christ. He has washed us clean and there are no deeds that we can do that will make us righteous! (1 Corinthians 6:11) Sure, as we learn to trust our Father we will grow to be more like Christ, but we don’t by our works do that.(Galatians 3:2-3) We no longer need to “Lie, Cheat, and Steal” as our Father has promised to meet our needs (Matthew 6:32-33, Luke 12:28-31). He can do that because it’s all His, the earth and everything in it (Deuteronomy 10:14). All He really wants us to do is believe and trust Him! (Galatians 3)
There was a couple in Virginia, who adopted seven orphans from Russia. (The children were all from the same family.) Russian orphanages were not the best places in the world for young children. The children had picked up some survival habits that were no longer necessary, and indeed maybe even harmful to their new family life. For instance, they would hide food in their beds because in the orphanage the only way they could be sure of their next meal was to horde food. Their new father constantly pointed out that this was no longer needed, as all the food in the kitchen was theirs. Another issue was that when bed time came, the children would fold their clothes and put them in their bed as well. As orphans, if they didn’t guard their clothes, their clothes would be stolen. Again their father reassured them that they’d have clean clothes every morning if they could only trust him. Occasionally, as it was the way of orphans, things would disappear from their neighbor’s yards. Their father had to remind them that their needs would be met, and they no longer had to take what they could get in order to survive.
You see, that on the plane flight from Russia to Virginia, they were changed from orphans to children of a new family. In the same way, when we accept Christ as Lord we become changed from orphans of this world to children of the Living God. (Galatians 3:26) So, stop hiding food in your bed, give generously of the first-fruits of your increase. (Malachi 3:8-10) Stop trying to take care of your own clothing, accept the righteousness of Christ. He has washed us clean and there are no deeds that we can do that will make us righteous! (1 Corinthians 6:11) Sure, as we learn to trust our Father we will grow to be more like Christ, but we don’t by our works do that.(Galatians 3:2-3) We no longer need to “Lie, Cheat, and Steal” as our Father has promised to meet our needs (Matthew 6:32-33, Luke 12:28-31). He can do that because it’s all His, the earth and everything in it (Deuteronomy 10:14). All He really wants us to do is believe and trust Him! (Galatians 3)
tag: Christianity
posted by Bryan at 8:58 AM
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