I got to work at an orphanage this week. As I heard the stories of the children, my heart began to break. Some kids had just been dropped off and abandoned at birth; other kids were abused by parents and taken away, while others ran away from home never wanting to return again… But as I watched them play, their lives now don’t reflect their past. They run through the field laughing and smiling as they chase butterflies. They frantically chase the ball in circles while they play soccer. They scream with joy as they swing back and forth on the swing set. They don’t have a care in the world, because they know they are safe in their new home- The Father’s arms!!!
So many of us are orphans but don’t know it. We have run away from the Father’s arms and we are aimlessly trying to find our way back home…
As orphans, we are walking around seeing God as a Master we have to serve. We are seeking the approval of the world, which leads to fears of failure, rejection, shame, and guilt. We are tired from performing day after day after day. We are getting up each day to have our quiet times with the Lord out of duty instead of love. We are continually comparing ourselves, and it always seems we come up short. We are seeking comfort in counterfeit affections (temporary home) just to satisfy the need for a little while.
Moving from an orphan mindset to a son/ daughter is a matter of reaching the place where you get up in the morning feeling so loved and accepted in your Father’s arms that your whole purpose for existence becomes looking for ways to give that love away to the next person you meet.
Sons/ daughters see their God as a Dad that is always proud of them. They walk with confidence because they know they are totally accepted by God for whom they are (no matter their past) and covered in grace. Sons and daughters find true comfort in times of quietness as they rest in the presence of the Lord. They rejoice in the things of the Spirit, including Christian disciplines, because they bring a source of joy!
Home is:
A place of safety and security
A place where you hear your Father say “ no matter what anybody else says, you are the child I love”
A place where the mask comes off and your true identity is revealed
A place where you can stop performing and just REST
A place where they are no fears
BEING IN YOUR FATHER'S ARMS
