11 We have also received an inheritance in Christ. We were destined by the plan of God, who accomplishes everything according to his design. 12 We are called to be an honor to God’s glory because we were the first to hope in Christ. 13 You too heard the word of truth in Christ, which is the good news of your salvation. You were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit because you believed in Christ. 14 The Holy Spirit is the down payment on our inheritance, which is applied toward our redemption as God’s own people, resulting in the honor of God’s glory.
Reflection
I would like to add verse 5a into this scripture as well: “God destined us to be his adopted children through Jesus Christ because of his love.” My 7-year-old granddaughter, who is adopted, stayed with us over the weekend. She lives about an hour away, so we had some time in the car to chat. (In the car is a great place to have serious discussions with children because you are driving so, they know you can’t look at them, but they are captive.) She had some questions about God and Jesus. Not even sure how the discussion started, but I added in the Holy Spirit. She was confused by the whole concept. It was interesting to me because she said she believed in God and Jesus (who she can’t see), but she could not wrap her head around the Holy Spirit. She has experienced death in her young life, so she wondered if it was what happened to people when they die or if it is a ghost. I guess “spirit” conjured up “ghost” for her. I tried to explain that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit went together and talked about things like: “You know when you want to hit your sister and you don’t? That is the Holy Spirit telling you not to.” And when we do the things we shouldn’t do, the Spirit is still there, but we don’t always pay attention. It was a tough sell that she wasn’t really buying, but we will continue to have these conversations. As Kate told the kids on Sunday – it’s good to keep asking because it can be confusing. Sometimes when I try to explain my beliefs to others, I start with “I know I could be wrong about all of this, but it makes the most sense to me. I have seen the Spirit’s intervention in my life.”
The fact that Layla is adopted and that she is biologically related to my son-in-law does not change how much I love her. One day in one of our discussions she was calling her Dad and her sister her cousins (which in fact they are). She asked how my daughter is related to her and I said, “She is your Mom who chose you.” Isn’t that what God has done for us? God chooses us – all of us – to be adopted children. Some people don’t have parents who can care for them or love them, but never get the opportunity to be adopted into another loving family. God sent Jesus to become human and sacrifice himself so that we may be adopted into the family of God and to seal that relationship, we were sent the Holy Spirit to be our constant companion as part of the triune nature of God. I hope having the Spirit with you is comforting – even though at times confusing as to how the Spirit moves in our lives.
by Janet Waryck
For Pondering and Prayer
What are some of your biggest questions about what you believe? Can you be comfortable knowing that there are not always solid answers but be assured that we are covered by/with the Holy Spirit and adopted into the family of God because of God’s love and Jesus’s sacrifice?
Prayer: Holy Spirit, please guide us day to day so that we may feel your presence in our lives and know that we are loved. Help us to look to you for guidance as we work to grow in the confidence in what we believe. Amen.