This speaks to the saved and unsaved. As I said this morning, only the Lord can ask this and only he can answer. Had God not answered, there is no way we could be among his children. We’re proud of the family we’re in. Not all are perfect, but most of us wouldn’t have wanted to be in any other family. We’re in God’s family through his only begotten son, born the second time of the Spirit into the family. Our greatest privilege is to be among the children of God. We can safely call him father.
Jeremiah 3: 19But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me.
If you don’t know God as Father and Jesus as Savior, you can. Verses 13-14a say “Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD. Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you.” This was written by Jeremiah to a backslidden Israel. God made a move. All they had to do was return to him and confess their disobedience.
Think about this question and what it involves. “How shall I put thee among the children?” Stop and think about what you were before you were saved. Even if you were a pretty good person, you realized that wasn’t enough. The devil uses the “you’re good enough” angle a lot today, but no one is good enough on his own merit.
Now that you’re saved, you are part of the children of God. Before I was saved I didn’t want to be around Christians or a church. Now I’m among them. I went from hating Christians and the church to being one of them. The devil will use old friends and their influence to get you away from God. Remember you belong to another group now. By the grace of God, you’re saved and one of the children of God.
There are blessings in being a child of God. Verse 19 mentions being given “a pleasant land, a goodly heritage…” We don’t deserve anything, but look what we’ve inherited. Did we ever have real peace before? No. It’s natural to have down times, but we have the “peace of God that passes all understanding.” We have a place at the table. We also have a place in the vineyard to work. God takes care of us and loves us like a natural child. The Bible says “beloved, now are we the children of God.” We were adopted into his family. He forgives us when we confess. He has equipped us with everything we need. Our moms and dads made sure we had everything we needed; how much more will God take care of us! He teaches us. He watches over us. He chastens us. That’s what a good father does. The Bible also tells us to be thankful when we’re chastised by God. That means we’re children. He said we can call him Father, and that’s exactly what he is in every sense of the word. What a blessing to be among the children!
As children, we have a responsibility to the family. We have a place of service, and there is work to be done. Growing up my parents always did their part, but they made sure we did our part. We had chores and tasks. I was to be a good child that took part in family responsibilities. Our chores in God’s family are essential for lost souls. Working for God is the least we can do. Even if the work gets hard, consider the honor it is to be among the children of God.
Where are you among the children of God? What chore list has God put you on? Where do you want him to put you? Do you want to do the least expected? We should all be the first to volunteer. Are you willing to let God put you where he wants? Do you need to have a talk with the Father?
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 