Romans 8:14 All who are led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to bring you back again into fear; on the contrary, you received the Spirit, who makes us sons and by whose power we cry out, “Abba!” (that is, “Dear Father!”). 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our own spirits that we are children of God; 17 and if we are children, then we are also heirs, heirs of God and joint-heirs with the Messiah — provided we are suffering with him in order also to be glorified with him.[Complete Jewish Bible]
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Fear seems to pervade our world today. We receive ominous messages of fear in the media. We live in a culture of fear. Fear can make us become isolated and frozen. Fear challenges our faith. It constantly makes us uneasy and takes away our inward peace. Yet we are children of God. This Pentecost week we are reminded that we are an adopted people, led by God's Spirit, heirs of a relationship "with God and joint heirs with Christ." What have we to fear? Jesus is about freedom, about being unstuck and set free in a world that would like us to crawl into a shell. Luther often spoke of the fear of the wrath of God. What a gracious word that we are "children of God." Do not be afraid!
Take away, O God, our slavery to fear and mistrust. Renew us with your Spirit to trust and hope in the promise that we are adopted and safe as your children. Amen.
Ken Knutson
Retired
Master of Divinity, 1966
Romans 8:14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, "Abba! Father!"
16 it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
17 and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ--if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.[New Revised Standard Version]
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