Tag:

child of God

God’s Children

by TerryLema November 3, 2023

I’m watching an ad for a financial institution where membership is limited. Not everyone can join, but only those who are or have served in the military … or those who have a family relationship with those who are or have served.

The commercial plays up the fact that not everyone can experience the privileges and benefits but only those who have certain qualifications.

That commercial reminded me that I have certain privileges and benefits that not everyone has. I have those delights because of God’s great love.

“Look at how great a love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children. And we are!” [1John 3:1 HCSB]

For me, to be called a child of God is the greatest and most wondrous of privileges. God’s child. Me. I don’t deserve that privilege. I did nothing to earn it. It is not based on my service. It is not based on my family’s history. It is all because of God’s love. For that I am so thankful!

AND, in addition, I have found a family of brothers and sisters who also have been given this great privilege because of God’s great love.

Thank you, Father, for Your great love for us. Thank you for the privilege of being called Your child. Amen.

November 3, 2023 0 comment

I Am!

by TerryLema April 29, 2023

Last Saturday I went for a walk later in the day. It had been a lovely day, with a bridal shower open house and then lunch with my daughter. I topped that day off with a worship walk and the last song to come up on my playlist was “No Longer Slaves.”

Chorus: “I’m no longer a slave to fear, I am a child of God. I’m no longer a slave to fear, I am a child of God.”

That chorus kept repeating (looping) while I slept. When we got to church on Sunday morning, that song was part of the worship service.

How often have I written about being a child of God. How often I am reminded what a privilege it is to be called God’s child. It speaks of His wonderful love.

“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” [1John 3:1 NKJV]

The “manner of love the Father has bestowed on us” was captured by another song (Reckless Love). His love is “overwhelming, never ending, reckless love.”

I am overwhelmed that God would love me. What joy to know that His love will never end but will carry me through this life and into eternity. And it is reckless, wild, scattered to whosoever will accept it. Knowing who I am (and what I am) He still chose to bestow His love on me … that is Reckless Love!

Thank you, Father, that I am not a slave but Your child because of Your overwhelming, never ending, reckless love!

April 29, 2023 0 comment

And We Are!

by TerryLema March 2, 2023

I wrote before that when I go to bed at night I recite and visualize Psalm 23. I see in my imagination’s eye the green pastures and still waters. I see the Shepherd with His rod and staff. One night as I was getting settled, my imagination brought me the sight of the Good Shepherd walking through a dark valley, His Hand holding on to that of a little girl in a pretty dress with black patent leather shoes. I immediately began to cry.

When I was little I always got a new pair of black patent leather shoes for Easter. Living back east, wearing white before Memorial Day was unacceptable. I knew that little girl holding the hand of the Good Shepherd was me. Every time my mind takes me back to that picture, I cry.

One of the great truths of Scripture is found in 1 John 3:1, “Look at how great a love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children. And we are!” [HCSB]

I love that verse. I love how it begins. “Look!” Some translations say “Behold!” The word is horaó and means to see, perceive, attend to. It often has a metaphorical meaning, “to see with the mind (spiritually see), to perceive (with inward spiritual perception).” [Strongs]

Look! Behold! See(!) how great a love the Father has given us, evidenced by the fact that He calls us His children. His children! The greatest privilege ever granted to mankind that God would love us so much that He would send His Son to die so that He could call us His children. And I love the way the Apostle John puts the exclamation on that thought. “And we are!”

Yes, we are. I am a child of God. You are a child of God. He loves us with an infinite love that will extend far beyond our life in this world. It will extend into eternity. We can never outdistance the love God has for us!

March 2, 2023 0 comment

Joy to the World!

by TerryLema December 9, 2022

I have decided to focus a few days on those old Christmas carols that minister to my soul this time of year. I did that once in devotions decades ago, and have since lost those devotions in my many computer replacements. So, I want to take a fresh look and think about the messages those old carols speak to me.

What better place to begin than with “Joy to the World!”

“Joy to the world, the LORD has come. Let earth receive her King!”

Ah, but earth did not receiver her King. John tells us, “He was in the world, and the world was created through Him, yet the world did not recognize Him. He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him.” [John 1:10-11 HCSB]

In fact, His own people went so far as to declare that they would not have this man rule over them. They did not want a man who sat with children and healed hurting men and women. They wanted someone who would drive the Romans from their land, someone who would lead a rebellion, someone like Barabbas. When it came time to choose one to live and one to die, Jesus or Barabbas, they chose Barabbas to live.

“Let every heart, prepare Him room.”

And when rejected, this King went to a cross and opened a way for every person to come to God through His sacrifice. “But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God.” [John 1:12 HCSB]

“Let heaven and nature sing. Let heaven and nature sing. Let heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.”

Today I sing the most beautiful of songs … “I am a child of God!”

December 9, 2022 0 comment

What’s in a Name …?

by TerryLema July 31, 2020

I have a lot of names. My given name is Teresa (spelled not the French way with an H, but the Spanish way – even though I am predominately French). As a child I could not pronounce Teresa so was given the nickname Terry (spelled the masculine way with a Y, which once registered me into boys PE in High School). My middle name is Kay (but Kay was not recognized as a proper baptismal name, so it shows as Katherine on my certificate). I also took the name Grace for my confirmation, but that one is simple.

Then there is my maiden name—Brunelle, pronounced Bru-Nel (the LE on the end is silent). Still everyone usually pronounced it Brunel-Lee and then misspelled it Brunelli (like the Italians).

So, when I got that lovely little four-letter married name I thought, finally, a name everyone can pronounce or spell correctly. Never happened. LEMA, such a simple last name. Pronounced LEE-MA. Except now a lot of people spelled it like Lima (Peru). Others spelled it like Lima (Peru) and pronounced it lima (bean). At various times, I have been known as Leeman, Lemon, Lima (Bean), or Laman. I was known as Theresa Lemon throughout my last pregnancy, the doctor’s office never could get it right.

I have grown used to being called by different names and by different titles (Ma, Mom, Mother, Grandma, GT, Peaches, Pastor). It does not really matter because when I hear God speak to me, I hear him call me the best name ever, “His Child.” I am a child of God. He gave me that name when I surrendered my life to His Son, Christ Jesus my LORD.

“But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name.” [John 1:12 HCSB]

My father always joked that it didn’t matter what anyone called him as along as they called him to dinner. For me, it really does not matter what others call me, as long as my Almighty Father God calls me “His Child.”

July 31, 2020 0 comment