Romans 8:14-17 (NRSV)
Read Romans 8:14-17 on biblegateway.com
Verse 14For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. Verse 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!" Verse 16it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
Verse 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.
Devotion
Fear seems to pervade our world today. We receive ominous messages of fear in the media. We live in a culture of fear. Fear can make us become isolated and frozen. Fear challenges our faith. It constantly makes us uneasy and takes away our inward peace. Yet we are children of God. This Pentecost week we are reminded that we are an adopted people, led by God's Spirit, heirs of a relationship "with God and joint heirs with Christ." What have we to fear? Jesus is about freedom, about being unstuck and set free in a world that would like us to crawl into a shell. Luther often spoke of the fear of the wrath of God. What a gracious word that we are "children of God." Do not be afraid!
Prayer
Take away, O God, our slavery to fear and mistrust. Renew us with your Spirit to trust and hope in the promise that we are adopted and safe as your children. Amen.