Daily Devotions

One of the most surprising discoveries found in the New Testament is how often Paul equates fullness of the Spirit with going deeper into the gospel. For example, in Ephesians 3:14–18, the apostle prays that the Ephesian Church would have the strength to comprehend the love of Christ—its breadth and length and height and depth—so that they may be “filled with all the fullness of God.” According to Paul, those two things—knowing the love of Christ in the gospel and being filled with “all the fullness of God”—are synonymous.

Puritan Thomas Goodwin compared this experience to that of a toddler son when his father sweeps him up into his arms, spins him around, and tells him, “You are my son and I love you!” In that moment, the boy has become no more his father’s son, legally speaking, than he was the moment before. But being caught up in his father’s arms he feels his sonship more intimately. When God’s Spirit fills us, he sheds abroad God’s love in our heart, making our spirit rise up to say, “Abba, Father”. In fact Paul writes, “God's Spirit doesn't make us slaves who are afraid of him. Instead, we become his children and call him our Father. God's Spirit makes us sure that we are his children.”  (Romans 8:15-16)

During the time that the New Testament was written, when a family adopted a child, there was no immediate big celebration of that adoption. But, when that child reached the proper age, there was a celebration, and at that time, the child was given every single legal standing as every other member of that family. In other words, once adopted, that child became a full member of that family along with inheritable rights.

God has adopted us, and now we have every legal right to the kingdom of Heaven – if we would only know it. Most Christians do not have a clue as to how much they really have through Christ Jesus. And if they do not know it, they certainly cannot use it for their good or for God’s good.

Well might we pray with St Augustine, “O Holy Spirit, descend plentifully into my heart. Enlighten the dark corners of this neglected dwelling and scatter there Thy cheerful beams.” Amen