21 Nov December 17th Daily Devotion

A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON PAUL’S LETTER TO THE  CHURCH AT PHILIPPI

 A CHILD OF GOD

Philippians 2:14-15 “Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation . . . ‘“

Whose child are you?  In the first fifteen to twenty years of your life you were asked this question a lot.  You would then answer by giving the names of your mother and father.  Your birth parents gave you your identity.

Your baptism gave you your identity also.  In fact, when someone asks you whose child you are, by virtue of your baptism your answer is, I am God’s child.  “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”  (Galatians 3:26-27)

As your biological parents reminded you as you were growing up to live your life in a way that people would speak well not only of your but of your family so as a Christian the Bible tells you to live your life in a way that people will speak well of your Heavenly Father, His Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Countless Bible passages urge you to live your life to the glory of God . . . to live your life for Christ . . . to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Today’s devotional verse urges you to live your life in a blameless and pure way because you are God’s child.  You carry His name which was inscribed on your head and heart at your baptism.  Some, if not most of you, gave public testimony at your confirmation to the fact that you are His child.  You confess through the ecumenical creeds that God is your Father and you are His child.

Every time you pray the Lord’s prayer you pray it to your gracious Father in heaven. What does it mean to pray the words, “Our Father who art in heaven?”  Luther answers in the Small Catechism:  “With these words God tenderly invites us to believe that He is our true Father and that we are His true children, so that with all boldness and confidence we may ask Him as dear children ask their dear father.”

Whose child are you?  You are God’s child because of His gracious gift of faith to you in His Son.  “No one,” Jesus says, “comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)

Prayer:  My Father in heaven, thank you for adopting me out of Your grace and mercy.  Amen.

Baptized into Your name most holy,

O Father, Son and Holy Ghost,

I claim a place, though weak and lowly,

Among Your saints, Your chosen host.

Buried with Christ and dead to sin,

Your Spirit now shall live within.

My loving Father, here You take me

To be henceforth, Your child and heir.

My faithful Savior, here You make me

The fruit of all Your sorrows share.

O Holy Spirit, comfort me

When threat’ning clouds around I see.

My faithful God, You fail me never;

Your promise surely will endure.

O caste not away forever

If words and deeds become impure.

Have mercy when I come defiled;

Forgive, life up, restore Your child.

All that I am and love most dearly—

Receive it all, O Lord, from me.

Let me confess my faith sincerely;

Help me Your faithful child to be!

Let nothing that I am or own

Serve any will but Yours alone.

(LSB 590)