When the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.
Galatians 4:4-5
We Are Included in God’s Family
Daily Devotion – December 23, 2017
Devotion based on Galatians 4:4-5
See series: Devotions
Christmas is a time for celebrating family. It is a time to gather together as parents and children, as siblings and cousins, as grandparents and grandkids—what a joy it is to be included in a family!
Such joy would be rather void and empty if it weren’t for another family relationship we celebrate at Christmas—a far more important family relationship—our relationship with God through faith in Christ.
The apostle Paul speaks of that family relationship in Galatians chapter four. He speaks of us receiving from God “the full rights of sons.” What a joy it is to be called God’s children! What a joy it is to be included in God’s family!
But it wasn’t always that way. In fact, our relationship with God used to be completely broken. As human beings, we were born “under [God’s] law.” In other words, everything that God, the Giver of the law, demands of all people in his laws and commandments, God expects us to obey, and obey perfectly. However, as sinful human beings, we have lived under God’s law imperfectly. We have broken God’s law repeatedly, and we continue to do so every time we sin. Because of such disobedience, we deserve to be outside of God’s family forever. We deserve to suffer the punishment of hell, separated from all of our heavenly Father’s blessings.
But it was never God’s desire that we should live outside of his family. And so, God determined to send us a Savior from sin. That Savior would be his very own Son. In pure grace, God molded and shaped the course of human history so that, at just the right time, “when the time had fully come,” he could send his Son into the world. Though his Son was true God in every sense of the word, he became a human being. Just like us, he was “born of a woman, born under law.”
Can we even fathom it? The one true God and Giver of the law willingly became a man and placed himself under the law, all so that he could be just like us! But there was one difference. Unlike us, God’s Son never sinned. He lived under his very own laws perfectly for his entire life.
And then, when he gave up his life on the cross of Calvary after a lifetime of perfect living, the Lord did something amazing. The one who lived perfectly washed all of our sins away in his blood and gave us his perfection in return. And now, when God looks at us, he no longer sees any sin. He sees only his own Son’s perfection. Because of it, our relationship with God has been fixed. We are part of his holy family. And we will be forever and ever.
Yes, Christmas is a time for celebrating family. What a joy it is, because of the saving work of God’s Son, to be included in God’s family!
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, you have brought us into your family through the saving work of your Son. This Christmas season give us the faith to receive that good news with joy. Amen.
This devotion was selected from the Daily Devotion archive.
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