WATCHWORD:
You have sorrow now, but I will see you again and then you will rejoice; and no one can rob you of that joy. 23 At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything, for you can go directly to the Father and ask him, and he will give you what you ask for because you use my name. 24 You haven’t tried this before, but begin now. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and your cup of joy will overflow. John 16:22-24
Through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. Ephesians 2:18
In whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him. Ephesians 3:12
Through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. Hebrews 10:19
I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. John 10:9
Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. John 10:9
Meditation:
Cutting Out the Middleman
You’re driving down a nice highway, and making good time. When BAM, a detour, construction zone. Now you’re going down a county road, full of potholes, surrounded by corn as high as an elephant’s eye. And you smile because you love this countryside. No, you really don’t! This detour will take you about 10 miles out of your way, and make you an hour late. We understand the need for construction, and there’s nothing we can do about that. So, we’ll have patience knowing that once this project is done, they’ll be another project causing more detours. And life goes on.
Martin Luther had a war with the Roman Catholic Church on several different fronts. They certainly didn’t like much of the Reformation, they had apoplexy over the fact but he was translating Holy Writ into German and having it published on that new-fangled Gutenberg thing-a-ma-jig. Soon the riff-raff of the world would be able to read the Holy Word, ON THEIR OWN! Holy Moly! (That is an expletive phrase reserved for Popes). That could put priests out of work! On top of all that Martin married…a woman! Double Holy Moly!! Put a price on his head! And they did!
Martin Luther cut out the middlemen, the Latin scripture, the priests to read and interpret the Word. That is what Jesus did through the Resurrection and the in-filling of the Holy Spirit! He opened the door for us to approach the Heavenly Father. Yes, He did say that He was the “Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no one can approach the Father except through Me.” Yes, and once we have the spiritual “Jesus stamp” on our heart, the Father, Our Father, is there and He is listening. No detour, no priest to interpret, just you and the Father and His Word.
Above, I have listed scripture passages, out of an un-numbered array, throughout the Bible. Each one pointing to the Father, each one underscoring our relationship with the Father, a relationship of adoption. Our adoption. In the Spiritual realm, adoption is “sonship” or “daughtership”, it is placing us directly in the family. We are One with Jesus, our Brother who is also our Savior. Permanent, for all eternity. No middleman, no language barrier, just you, a Child of the Father, with the Father, in personal dialogue. So be it.
Bulletin Board:
What does it mean to be adopted into God’s family? I believe it means enjoying an unconditional love that’s forever. As a Christian, there are sometimes I can take on the mindset of someone who thinks he’s accepted into God’s family as long as I don’t mess up. I can forget that adoption into God’s family is permanent and solely by His grace, not my works. As we grow to more fully accept God’s grace, we become better at trusting in His unconditional love, and we have a much greater peace. Agree?
Closing Prayer:
This is a prayer of gratitude, grateful that I am a child of God, the Brother to my Savior and Lord. The Heavenly father, the Creator God, is my Daddy, is my Poppa, is my Abba. This is a relationship that will never change. Even if I fall away, temporarily, I know you, Father, will find me, and redeem me. That is why I’m so grateful in the knowledge that I am forever yours, forever, into eternity. Can anything be more secure than that? I don’t think so. I am yours, Heavenly Father, now and forever. Amen
