"See how great the love the Father has given to us, that we would be called children of God, and we are! Therefore the world does not know us because it does not know Him." (1 John 3:1)
In the name of Jesus. Amen. Jesus is the Son of God. In Him, you are a child of God. In Christ, you are a son of God. That is what God calls you and that is who you are.
We weren't born God's children. We were born enemies, haters of God. We were lawless for sin is lawlessness. We were all born outside of Him, against Him, and not on His side.
But the Father loved us this way: Jesus came, was born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
The Father gave up His Son for your salvation. That's the love of God. His love was delivered to you in Holy Baptism. That's where you became a child of God! In Baptism, the righteousness of Christ was delivered to you, cleansing you of all your sins.
Advent is the season to remember your baptism, where Jesus came to you. Your baptism defines who you are. You are baptized, you are a child of God. That is who you are!
You suffer in this world, because He suffered. The world does not know you, because it did not know Him. Sometimes it feels like what the world did to Him, it wants to do to you.
That doesn't change who you are. You are baptized. You are a child of God. You may not always feel like a child of God, you may not look like one, and you definitely don't act like one, but that is who you are. You are a child of God.
Soon, when Christ appears, you will be like Him. You will see Him as He is and you will no longer doubt how He sees you. You are children of God. He says so. He calls us children of God in Baptism. He says that is what we are. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
"The Savior kindly calls Our children to His breast; He folds them in His gracious arms, Himself declares them blest." (TLH #302, v. 1)
Daily Lectionary: Isa. 26:1-19, 1 John 3:1-24
Higher Things would like to thank the Rev. George F. Borghardt III (Assistant Pastor, St. Mark Lutheran Church, Conroe, TX) for writing this season's Reflections.
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