There’s been a theme stirring in my heart these past weeks about Adoption and Honour.
I’ve been reading a fabulous book by Danny Silk, ‘Culture of honor’…after Holy Spirit highlighted the as yet unread. book upon my shelf.
The clock read 2:17(am) and I had tried unsuccessfully to welcome in sleep. I got up and began to write. I reasoned that at least the time would be well used.
The verse the came up as one to ponder was one of my favourites.
Romans 8:15-16
ESV 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.
or
TPT And you did not receive the “spirit of religious duty,”[a] leading you back into the fear of never being good enough.[b] But you have received the “Spirit of full acceptance,”[c] enfolding you into the family of God. And you will never feel orphaned, for as he rises up within us, our spirits join him in saying the words of tender affection, “Beloved Father!”[d] 16 For the Holy Spirit makes God’s fatherhood real to us as he whispers into our innermost being, “You are God’s beloved child!”
I returned to bed and finally nodded off to sleep and dreamed a GOOD dream. The last scene of the dream was where I was questioning a friend about his speech, because he spoke one way with the group we were with and another when speaking with me. Then a line came from his lips that I felt were from Father.
What does our speech sound like, as we adopt the voice of the Father. What’s the tone?
The pace?
The pitch?
The connection to others?
How do we act?
Where do my thoughts take me?
I have found it challenging, this idea of adopting the voice of the Father in all aspects of my life…how is it possible to treat Gods beloved kids with honour, even when honour is undeserved. Knowing all the while, I too, am undeserving of it.
We spent a bit of time with the family talking about how we interact with one another and others. How we all appreciated being respected and treated with honour.
Fast forward an hour, (following dinner)
In a moment of sibling “excitement”… instead of raised voices, watching sibling rivalry unfold (& heightened blood pressure.??)
“Sit down,” I asked them both.
No words.
I put two A3 sheets in front of each and some building pencils.
“What does honoring someone look and feel like? Go!” (Meaning draw, colour, write…answering that question.
They both began drawing, writing…
They’re given permission to share them with you.
A rich strategy born from a challenging atypical family circumstance.
How is it that I want to be treated? Am I treating others like that first?
I am always humbled at the knowledge that God speaks, writes, acts with absolute love as His foundation, when He communicates with me.
His heart is for me.
His plans, always for my and others good.
His counsel always seek to allow my design to shine for Him.
How do allow others to shine as they were made to?
And if someone is hard to honour, if they’ve hurt me, if they’ve injured someone I love. How can I possibly honor them?
Knowing that even though I deserve nothing, God has lavished me with the richest treasure known to man…’life with Him.’
Connection with Him.
Forgiveness and Grace abounds with Him.
Hopeful future with Him.
Purposes and plans for this moment.. every moment.