For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘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 fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Romans 8:15-17

As Christians, we get to refer to the creator of the entire universe as Father. The word Abba is an intimate term of endearment that we can translate into English as “father.” God is our Heavenly Father and we can rejoice in that.

There is a certain sense of reverence when praying to God our Heavenly Father. We should also recognize who he is and what he has done for us. Paul makes it clear in his letter to the Romans that once the Holy Spirit of God dwells within us, we now have the most special relationship with him. We can be a part of his eternal family with brothers and sisters in Christ.

We are children of the Most High God, in the truest sense of the word. This should be an encouragement for any of us who were adopted into our earthly family. Everyone is chosen by their parents. Though you may not be blood-related, you are just as much a child of your adoptive mother and father as any naturally born offspring.

As adopted children in the kingdom of God, we often disappoint our Father. We grieve and quench His Holy Spirit when we sin and suppress his Lordship. However, he continues to love us and will guide us back to a right relationship with Him. His grace is boundless and unending. Where sin abounds, God’s grace is more.

This week, take a moment today and meditate on the fact that the omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent God, who spoke the universe into being, loves you enough to draw you to him and adopt you as his own precious child. We are truly brothers and sisters by blood, the cleansing blood of Jesus.