Romans 8:23 (NIV)
23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits
of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to
sonship, the redemption of our bodies.
Even in this world saints are God's children, but the only
way that people will discover this is by certain moral characteristics. The
adoption is not displayed; the children are not yet openly declared.
Among the
Romans a man might adopt a child and keep it private for a long time; but there
was a second adoption in public; when the child was brought before the
constituted authorities, its old clothes were removed, and the father who took
it to be his child gave it clothing suitable to its new status in life.
"Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet
appeared."1 We are not yet clothed in the apparel of heaven's royal
family; we are wearing in this flesh and blood just what we wore as the
children of Adam. But we know that "when he appears" who is
"the firstborn among many brothers,"2 we will be like Him, for
we will see Him as He is.
Can't you imagine that a child taken from the lowest ranks
of society and adopted by a Roman senator would say to himself, "I long
for the day when I shall be publicly adopted. Then I shall discard these poor
clothes and be dressed in clothes that depict my senatorial rank"? Glad
for what he has already received, he still groans until he gets the fullness of
what has been promised to him. So it is with us today. We are waiting until we
put on our proper clothes and are declared as the children of God for all to
see. We are young nobles and have not yet worn our crowns. We are young brides,
and the marriage day has not arrived, but our fiancée's love for us leads us to
long and sigh for the bridal morning. Our very happiness makes us long for
more; our joy, like a swollen stream, longs to spring up like a fountain,
leaping to the skies, heaving and groaning within our spirit for lack of space
and room by which to reveal itself to men.
Thought for today:
Am I seeking my adoption?
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