Daily Devotion

“Adoption is the highest privilege of the Gospel. God not only forgives us sinners, but also accepts us as His children.”

J.I. Packer · Knowing God

Scripture

1 John 3:1 See how loving the Father has been to us, that we should be called children of God, and indeed we are his children. The reason the world does not know us is because it has not known him.

Reflection

Packer reminds us that salvation is not just "closing the case," but also "returning home." The exclamation "Behold!" in 1 John 3:1 calls us to stop and gaze upon that utterly unfamiliar, selfless love. We often try to understand God through the lens of the humility of a "criminal" or the pragmatism of a "laborer," yet we dare not believe that we already possess the privilege of being "heirs." Today, try to let go of that sense of alienation, that feeling of "unworthy," and accept your new identity as a "child of God." This love does not depend on your actions, but on the Father's promise. This confirmation of identity is the most stable anchor for our hearts when facing misunderstanding from the world and hardships in life.