Thoughts for the Day

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

As we begin a new Year it is appropriate to remind and reinforce our basic beliefs as Christians - beliefs which mature over the years as we understand them in greater depth. Our reading from Paul's letter to the Galatians gives us a complete reminder of what we struggle sometimes to believe.

In the Roman, Greek and Jewish worlds at the time of Jesus there were definite rules and regulations about when children became adults and when they would come into an inheritance, about those who were slaves but who might be freed, and about those who might even as adults be adopted as a family member. Before this children and slaves were under the control of others - parents, guardians, teachers, masters etc - until such time when they could be free as adults and claim any inheritance. Today it is the same though rules concerning when a child becomes an adult are different in different countries, and can change over the years. I was a child until I was 21 years old under the law of the time, and had to have my parent's permission to join the RAF and to be married!

St Paul in writing to the Galatians says that those who believe in Christ are no longer slaves controlled by sin or the law of Moses, they have become God's beloved children by adoption. To be adopted meant that a person had all the rights of a member of the family. Because of our faith, the Spirit of God allows us into the closest of relationships so that we can call God, "Father", using the familiar word "Daddy"! For as shocking as this might seem this is the meaning of the Aramaic work "Abba" which is used within a family. Believers in Christ are protected and loved by God for all time, because Christ gave up His life for us - he paid the price for us to be free from our slavery to sin! Through saying sorry, and amending our life, we are given forgiveness.

This new year we too are called once again to live as a child of God - how might that change our life this coming year?

Father in heaven,
we thank You for Your amazing plan
to free us from the toils of sin,
by sending Your Son to earth.
Through Christ we are made free,
even when we fail and fail again.
Make us truly sorry for our failures
so that as Your children we might
become the people You wish us to be.
Help us to start this new year
determined to make changes to our life
as befits a child of God.
Amen.