Daily Devotional
Do You Feel the Closeness of God?
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”
Romans 8:14-17
October 17, 2023
Ponder This
How much does God love His Son Jesus? Does He love Jesus more than He loves you? That’s not what this says. You may say, “No, I can’t take that in,” but it is true. There is nothing you can do to make God love you any more than He loves you. He loves you as much as He loves His own dear Son.
We are the sons and the daughters of God. Jesus is the first-born Son, but He’s just the first-born in a family of many brothers and sisters. We are brothers and sisters of Jesus—sons of God, literally. Do you know what “Abba Father” means? Our equivalent would be the name, “Daddy.” It blesses me when my children call me daddy instead of father because it reminds me of our closeness. Likewise, we can speak to God and call Him: Abba Father. Because I’m a son of God and Jesus Christ is my brother, I have my Father’s care, and I’m not a beggar. My Father pledged to take care of me, and He will.
- What would it look like to approach God as your “Abba Father”?
- When have you felt God’s closeness in a time of trouble?
Practice This
Approach God as your Abba Father and tell Him about the things that have been weighing you down lately.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
