Day 12 — God Is Gracious: Secure in the Father’s Love
Opening prayer
Heavenly Father, as I read your Word today, help me to hear again what you say about me in Christ. Quiet my fears, deepen my confidence in your love, and free me to love others without being ruled by their approval. Amen.
Headline
Because God is gracious, the response of others does not define us; in Christ we are loved, forgiven, adopted and secure.
Romans 8:14-17, 31-39
14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spiritthat we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
…
31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Comment
Yesterday we began the final week of this reading plan with the first truth that helps us take the next step in witness: God is sovereign.
He has placed people around us — family, neighbours, colleagues, friends, acquaintances — so that they might seek him and find him. No meeting is accidental.
Today we come to the second truth: God is gracious.
Many years ago, in my prior existence as an accountant, I went on a management training course with PwC. It was four days away from home, working with a small group of about eight people. The first activity was to introduce ourselves, to answer the question: who are you?
So I stood up and said that I was a Senior Manager in the audit practice from the Bristol office, specialising in financial services, blah, blah, blah for about three minutes, and sat down.
The person after me stood up and said, “My name’s Jay, and I’m a Christian.”
I felt pinned to my seat with shame.
Not because what I had said was false. I was a Senior Manager. I did work in audit. I was based in Bristol. But Jay had begun with what was deepest and truest about him.
Who are you?
If you trust in Jesus, you are a Christian. And that means, fundamentally, that you are an adopted child of God.
Paul says:
“The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’” (v.15)
And again:
“Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.” (v.17)
This is grace. God knows us completely and yet loves us as his children. He forgives us, adopts us, gives us his Spirit, and makes us heirs with Christ. He treats us not according to what we deserve, but according to his lavish kindness in Jesus.
That matters enormously for sharing our faith.
One reason we stay silent is fear of rejection. What will they think of me? Will the friendship become awkward? Will they laugh? Will I lose their respect? Will they think I am strange, naïve or narrow?
Those questions are powerful because we care about approval. We care about being liked. We care about what family, friends, neighbours and workmates think of us.
But grace tells us that the most important verdict over our lives has already been spoken.
In Christ, God says: you are loved, forgiven, adopted, mine.
Paul puts it like this:
“If God is for us, who can be against us?” (v.31)
That does not mean no one will ever oppose us. Paul knew plenty of opposition. It means that no opposition can ultimately define us, condemn us or separate us from God’s love.
For he concludes:
“Neither death nor life… nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (vv.38–39)
If someone rejects my invitation, mocks my faith, or thinks less of me, I am still loved by the Father and held by the Son. Their response may hurt, but it does not make me more or less valuable.
When that truth moves from our head to our heart, it frees us. We are no longer driven by the need for approval from others. We are free to love them, even at some cost to ourselves.
Why does God want you to hear this today? Perhaps because fear of rejection has more power over you than you realise. But in Christ you are loved, forgiven, adopted and secure. The opinion of others is not what gives you value. The Father has already spoken the deepest truth about you. And because you are secure in his love, you are free to love others by speaking of Jesus.
Reflect
- Whose approval or acceptance are you most afraid of losing if you speak openly about Jesus?
- What does Romans 8:14–17, 31–39 teach you about your identity, security and value in Christ?
- How might knowing you are loved, forgiven, adopted and secure free you to love others more courageously?
Action
Write down one person whose response you fear.
Then pray this sentence slowly:
“Father, even if __________ rejects me, mocks me, or thinks less of me, I am still loved by you, secure in Christ, and free to love them.”
Closing prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for your grace in adopting me as your child through Jesus Christ. Thank you that nothing in all creation can separate me from your love. Forgive me when I let the approval of others define me or silence me. Help me to rest in your verdict over my life, and give me the confidence to love others by speaking of Jesus with humility, courage and grace. Amen.
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