"By the Spirit... You Will Live."

I ask for the grace that we might live more truly from our true selves in our identity with Christ, that we might have the courage and strength to let go of our ego needs that only sever the false self, that we might experience ourselves as Children of God.


Romans 12-17
12 So then, brothers and sisters,^* we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— ¹³for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. ¹⁴For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. ¹⁵For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, ‘Abba!^* Father!’ ¹⁶it is that very Spirit bearing witness^* with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.


1) "...we are debtors;" "...you will live;" "...led by the Spirit;" "...children of God;" "...a spirit of adoption;" "...'Abba! Father!" "...that very Spirit;" "..our spirit;" "...children of God;" "if children, then heirs;" "...joint heirs with Christ;" "...we suffer with him;" "...we may also be glorified with him;" "...glorified with him;"


2) It would be nice to experience some of that glory.  "When we cry, 'Abba! Father!' it is that very Spirit [the spirit of adoption] bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God."  This is grace, this is how easy it is to receive the spirit of adoption into being children of God, heir, joint heirs with Christ... turn to God with greeting of intimate affection: Dad! Mom!  Sweetheart! Lover!  Beloved! Nana!  Opa! Oma!  Poppa!  Desire and maintain that relationship of intimate affection.  And, of course, we treat someone with whom we share intimate affection like someone with whom we share intimate affection, not a stranger, alien, or enemy.  And Jesus reminds us that how we treat "the least of these" is how we treat him.  There are people for whom I certainly do not feel affection.  I can't image I ever would.  But can I treat them with the same kind of care and respect?  I do not always deserve to be treated as well as I am treated.  It isn't about "deserving" it is about who we are, who I want to be.


3) What is the invitation in all this?  To live out of the spirit of adoption, to know that I have been adopted through Christ, to remember that adoption in the Jewish Law of Paul's time was absolute.  Indeed, we are debtors.


"Holy One, put in me a spirit of adoption."


Breathprayer: "By the spirit... You will live."