Acceptance

You have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”

Romans 8.15

 

A story

 

David loved his best friend, Jonathan, like a brother. He made a blood promise to Jonathan to always show love and care to him and his family. Jonathan was King Saul's son. Saul hated and fervently pursued David to kill him.

Later, Jonathan and King Saul fought side by side in battle. King Saul witnessed his son slain by the enemy. Knowing that his own capture was imminent, he committed suicide by falling on his own sword, an event that ushered in God’s promise to David to be king of Israel, just as the prophet Samuel proclaimed as he anointed David when he was but a teenager.

Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth, was the last of King Saul’s lineage and a mere toddler. Saul’s servant, fearing the new king would kill Mephibosheth, rushed him to Lo-Debar, but fell along the way, crippling the child. Mephibosheth grew up in Lo-Debar, a lowly desolate place.  When grown, his value and self-esteem was lower than garbage. Remembering his promise to always love and show kindness to Jonathan’s family, David brought Mephibosheth to the palace.

Believing the lie that David wanted to kill him, Mephibosheth cowered in fear and self-loathing. However, David accepted him as his own family. All of Saul’s former land and treasures were restored to Mephibosheth. He ate at King David’s table the rest of his days, despite his crippled state, and enjoyed the glory of the king’s house.

Like Mephibosheth, you may be living in Lo-Debar, feeling condemned, ostracised, alone, belonging to no one. You put on a facade that you’re all right, yet you live in fear, crippled with feelings of rejection.

 

A letter from God

 

My Fully Accepted Prince/ss,

You’ve been brought before the King of all Kings. You’re not condemned, you’re the accepted, the righteousness of God. Jesus gave his life in place of yours, justifying and accepting you.

The moment you believe and receive Jesus, his death, and resurrection, your spirit become complete! The tainted bloodline from Adam that you inherited is removed, and your spiritual veins are infused with the saving blood of Jesus.

I fully and unconditionally accept you. No one can condemn you, not even you, for Jesus intercedes for you as a defending lawyer does in a court of law. The Holy Spirit marked you with a seal that you’re my child whom I love. Now, you can call me Abba, the most affectionate term in Aramaic to call a father, which means “Daddy.” I am more than God, I am Abba, Daddy!

 

A Scripture

 

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.

Romans 8.1-2

 

A Prayer

 

God, I’ve brought condemnation upon myself and allowed others to condemn me, for which I’ve greatly suffered. When my imperfect soul (my mind, will, and emotions) messes up, help me to live loved and accepted by professing that “I’m the righteousness of God, complete, whole, and unconditionally accepted by my Father, the King of Kings!” Thank you that I don’t have to live in any form of condemnation another day of my life.

In Jesus’s Name, Amen

 

Reflection

 

God, the King of Kings, accepts you and loves you unconditionally, despite what’s on your current or future list of things that the evil one uses to condemn you.

 

1 Write a list of things that you feel condemned, branded, or ashamed about.

 

2 If you decided in your heart that, “I’m unconditionally loved and accepted by God my Father no matter what, and nothing can change my position as a beloved child in him,” how would your thoughts about yourself change?

 

3 Assuming your thoughts above are positive, if they were put into action, how would your behaviour change?

 

4 How would your life change?

 

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