"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.” Romans 8:15-16

“In love, He predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.” Ephesians 1:5-6

When I was in Quito, Ecuador on my original race back in 2019, a few of us went to a beautiful park in town to worship and rest with the Lord on our sabbath. While we were there, I saw a father rollerblading on a path with his young daughter and they instantly grabbed my attention. As they were skating along together, the daughter wiped out and fell onto her hands and knees. Her father was close to her but he didn’t rush to lift her up. He just stood right behind her and waited for her to cry out to him, or stand and keep skating. From the ground, and with tears forming in her eyes, she turned her head to look upon her father. She saw he was near. Her father smiled at her and gave a tender head-nod that seemed to speak a thousand words through one gesture. The daughter wiped away the swelling tears and picked herself off and laughing joyfully, she continued on.

This past season there has been a lot of falling and wiping out on this path the Lord has me on. I have felt completely unqualified for some of the situations I've been in, and other times I've just been exhausted and wanted to take off my ‘rollerblades’ altogether. That day in Ecuador I only caught a glimpse into their relationship at the park. The reality is they aren’t at the park 24/7 rollerblading together. That would be exhausting and there wouldn't be much intentional life shared outside of that place. I think about what that relationship looks like when they are home together and how deeply that Father shows her care and love as they do the behind-the-scenes life. The dependency of the daughter deepens her trust in the father. And as she grows, He has instilled into her the authority to walk as she is called, but this only comes from her choice to trust her father in every situation. 

Imagine while at home that week this four-year-old girl had to make all her meals, do all her laundry, pay the bills, take out the garbage, fix the leaky faucet, and take care of the boogieman in her closet while the father sat upon his lazy boy with no care for his daughter. If we are being honest, that is sometimes how we view our relationship with our Father in heaven. That simply is NOT the case! He is an attentive Father who wants to care for us. God wants to grow us to trust His hand on our lives in the mundane moments to trust His consistency in the trials. A good Father does more than just nod his head to make us continue on the path He has brought us to! We know His heart from the moments spent at His feet and seeing Him gaze with deep love upon us. Spending time in His presence propels us to want to go ‘rollerblading’ with Him, to go and serve Him however He asks! It’s the fullness of joy that comes from Him and Him alone that lets us know that wherever we go or whatever trial we find ourselves in, we are secure with our Father close to our aid, not forsaken. 

"Why do you act like you don't have a Father?" 
My CGA mentor would ask us this when we would slip into an 'orphan mindset', forgetting that we have an everpresent Father who calls us His own. The Almighty God of Heaven calls us His children and yet we worry? So ask yourself where you still operate as an orphan instead of a son or daughter.

Martha and Mary
"Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”  Luke 10:38-42

Choose the good portion that is found at His feet and hear His guidance. You will in turn know the Father's heart toward you that won’t be absent when trials arise. The freedom of walking as sons and daughters come from the daily laying down of our orphanhood. The joy that is in knowing Jesus and Him knowing us back is unlike anything else. Humble confidence comes from those intimate moments with your Father in heaven. 

Good Father, grow us at your feet to lay down our striving and sit securely in our sonship. You are the good portion and I pray I trust you deeper and surrender quicker. You are ushering us home to commune with you and delight in your ways. I love you, Lord. Thank you for this new life. Amen.