HOW CAN I BE ASSURED THAT GOD KNOWS ME AS A CHILD OF HIS?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and 
walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself 
up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 
(Ephesians 5:1-2)

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Whenever we ‘follow’ someone, 
we tend to imitate some of their characteristics.
In order to do that, we need to have respect for the one we are following.

If respect is missing, 
then the likelihood of following the person is slim at best.
We gain respect for others 
whenever they have proven themselves over the long haul.

When we know that they have honesty and integrity, 
it is easier to follow someone.
We see certain characteristics in them 
that we would like to mimic in our own lives.

We might know someone who is a dynamic speaker and we would like 
to have their ability to generate excitement when speaking to a crowd.
Someone may have an outstanding talent that we would like to develop.
We may admire how some people can easily interact with others socially.

We can also be drawn to the ones who are ‘tried and true’ on a daily basis.
The ones who are dependable, conscientious, caring, giving, 
encouraging, and loving.
That fits the description of our Heavenly Father, 
(along with several other distinguishing and outstanding characteristics).

We are attracted to God, 
and have a desire to mimic what we see and admire in Him.
In his efforts to encourage the Ephesians, Paul singled out probably 
the most recognizable trait of God – His undeniable love for mankind.

He reminds them of the magnitude of that love shown by Christ, 
when He ‘gave Himself up for us’.
If love for others is absent, 
then it would be quite difficult to become a living sacrifice for them.
But His love for us is genuine, dependable and proven!

If we are going to be followers of Christ, then we need to learn 
how to ‘walk in the way of love’ as He did, and still does today.
Love is not a characteristic that is based on selfishness.
The truth is, love and selfishness cannot coexist (as proven by Jesus).
He expressed His unselfish love for us on the cross.

We all have our own desires and when they are not met, 
it can arouse many different emotions within us.
One pastor said that when two people get married, often times 
the desires of one become expectations for the other (and vice-versa).

That is why the scriptures tells us that in a marriage ‘two become one’.
It is a melding of the desires of both that includes compromise. 
That is exactly what we do whenever we are ‘married’ to the Lord.
We compromise and concede that His Will is best and supersedes our will.
Why? Because He is the all-knowing One we admire, respect, love and worship.

ACTION:
Have you developed the love of Christ in your own life?
If you are a follower of Him, 
then you should have a desire to love like He does.
For your love to increase, your selfishness has to decrease.
Neither of these are going to happen as long as you continue living 
the same way you have always lived, with no conscious efforts to change.

Paul encouraged the Ephesians (and us) 
to ‘walk in the way of love’ like Jesus.
In order to do that, you need to have the same love for God that Jesus did.
But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. 
This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must live 
as Jesus did. (1 John 2:5-6)

When the love of Jesus is in you, God knows who you are.
But whoever loves God is known by God. (1 Corinthians 8:3)
This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children 
of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, 
nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister. (1 John 3:10)

When you express your love for God, 
you will discover it is easier to love others (as He does).
For this is the message you heard from the beginning: 
We should love one another. (1 John 3:11)

You need to decide if your love is misdirected. 
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, 
love for the Father is not in them. (1 John 2:15)

Whenever God’s love is living in you, 
you will be aware of the Spirit of love He has given you.
The one who keeps God’s commands lives in Him, and He in them. And this 
is how we know that He lives in us: We know it by the Spirit He gave us. 
(1 John 3:24)

When you love as God loves, you will notice 
a dramatic change in your priorities and attitudes (and so will others).

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, teach me to love You and love others as You love me. 
Help me to diminish the selfishness in my life so that Your love in me can 
increase. I want for others to see the Your love flowing through me in all 
that I do and say. Thank You, Jesus, for loving me so much that You 
became a living sacrifice for me. I pray that I will learn to make sacrifices 
as an expression of my love for others.”