Belonging to God

“This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them: ‘The Lord bless you & keep you. The Lord make His face shine upon you & be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you & give you peace.’ So they shall put My name on the children of Israel & I will bless them.” (Numbers 6:22-27)

Israel was God’s chosen nation & the Israelites were His chosen people. But now, we can all be His children when demonstrate the same faith that was exhibited by Abraham, who was the father of their nation. “Abraham received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised.” (Romans 4:11-12)

We love our children just because they are ours & the Israelites were blessed just because they were His. Our children don’t earn our love by doing good things & they can’t lose our love by doing something wrong. The Israelites also could not earn or lose God’s love & neither can we. “If Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.” (Romans 4:2-4) Once we become His child, we belong to Him forever. Jesus said, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.” (John 10:28-29)

God took the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, so He could live among them & be their God. “I am the Lord their God, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them.” (Exodus 29:46) He also took us from the slavery of our sin, so that He could live within us & be our God. “If you live according to the flesh you will die. But if by the Spirit, you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” (Romans 8:12-17)

Like the Israelites, since we belong to Him, He has put His name on us. So, we should live our lives in such a way that others identify us by His name & so that we bring honor to it. “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. Walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us… For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” (Ephesians 5:1-2 & 8) We need to live worthy of all He has sacrificed for us & all He has called us to. “Be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. Walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all might” (Colossians 1:9-11)

Excerpt from Episode 83 “Belonging to God” on Podcast and YouTube