This week’s devotions are based on Week 1 of Confessing Christ in a Confused World (WATCH HERE)
1 John 3:1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!
There is a difference between knowing about someone and belonging to them. Many people know facts about God. They may believe He exists. They may even attend church occasionally or pray during difficult moments. Yet the gospel offers something far greater than simply knowing about God. It gives the privilege of being called His child.
John writes with wonder when he says, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” You can almost hear the amazement in his voice. He never got over the reality that sinners could become sons and daughters of the King.
In our culture, identity is often tied to achievement, status, or public opinion. People spend years trying to answer questions like, “Who am I?” and “Do I belong?” Some seek belonging through relationships. Others pursue it through accomplishments or social acceptance. Yet all those sources of identity can be fragile. Relationships change. Success fades. Public approval comes and goes.
The identity God gives is different. When He calls you His child, He gives you an identity that cannot be taken away by circumstances. Your status as God’s child is not based on your performance. It is based on Christ’s finished work.
Think about the security a child experiences when they know they belong in a loving family. They do not wake up every morning wondering if they have earned a place at the table. They belong because they are family. In the same way, believers belong to God because He has adopted them through faith in Jesus.
This truth also changes how we view other believers. We are not merely members of the same organization. We are brothers and sisters in the same family. The church is not a collection of strangers. It is the household of God.
When the world tries to define you by your failures, your accomplishments, your past, or your present struggles, remember what your Father says. Through Christ, you are His child. That identity is more significant than any label the world can give.
Today, thank God not only for forgiving your sins but also for adopting you into His family. Let that truth shape how you see yourself and how you relate to others.
Reflect: What labels or identities do you most often allow to define you? How would your outlook change if you began each day remembering that you are God’s beloved child?
Prayer: Father, thank You for the incredible gift of adoption. Thank You for making me Your child through baptism into Jesus Christ. Help me find my identity in You rather than in my accomplishments, failures, or the opinions of others. Teach me to live with the confidence and security that come from belonging to Your family. Amen.