Friday, May 15. Romans 8:1-17.

What would motivate you more: a slave master yelling at you, beating you into submission; or a loving mother or father encouraging you to do your best? That seems like a no brainer, doesn’t it?

Paul uses these two metaphors in today’s reading to contrast the two ways of life that wrestle within us. He spent chapter 7 acknowledging the fact that Sin still has power in our flesh. We wrestle daily with the temptations and desires to serve ourselves and, ultimately, destroy ourselves.

Yet, here is the good news. God, the loving parent, demonstrated God’s love through Jesus. Jesus defeated Sin and Death, and God poured out the Holy Spirit to give us life. Now, the Spirit allows us to look into the face of God and say, “Daddy, Mommy,” and be swallowed up in the loving arms of our creator.

Paul says that we have been adopted as God’s child. Here’s the cool thing about adoption vs. biological birth. Any random couple can conceive a child, even if it was not their intent to do so. Having biological parents is not a guarantee that you will experience unconditional love. Being adopted, however, means that your parents made a conscious decision, and chose you!

God sees us, even in the filth and wasted energy of our sinfulness, and chooses us. That’s pretty awesome!

No matter what destructive thoughts or behaviors continually beat you down, even today, remember this: God loves you. The Spirit whispers in your ear, “you are a child of God. You are free from this Sin. Walk away.”

May you walk in the love of your Heavenly parent today.