Whispers of Rest in the Storm. Matthea Browning Glass

the rules and doing all the right things should insulate us from what is common to man. I believe Paul writes Romans 8:35 so that we understand that our adoption into the family of God does not shield us from trouble, hardship, persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword, or death.

      In Galatians 3:2 Paul asks us, “Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by believing what you heard?” Either we work hard under the law or believe in God’s work through Jesus Christ to adopt us. Resting in this adoption is like resting in a recliner. Our adoption upholds and comforts us. We sit in it, get comfortable, put our feet up. We know that adoption is not dependent on the orphan, but the orphan is completely dependent on the one who adopts her. It is the same with our Heavenly Father.

      Now that we know God, we know that we cannot earn a place in His family. We don’t want to become slaves again thinking that we need to observe special days or follow special laws or man-made traditions to keep from experiencing the troubles that are common to all of humanity. We are the children of the free woman, and like Isaac we are children of promise (Galatians 4:9-10).

      Whatever we are facing today, know that it cannot change our adoption into the family of God. When we face troubling times, we are tempted to think that others who appear more righteous on the outside have it easier, but the truth is that they fail to keep the laws they set up to make them feel more righteous. Most of the time rule followers are the most miserable. They are good at hiding behind their mask of self-righteousness. Legalism keeps them from experiencing grace and love. For the legalist every bad thing that happens is condemnation. There is no love in this system.

      We can’t work harder to be more adopted. Either we believe in the Lord Jesus or we believe we are righteous by keeping the law. Jesus invites us to sit down into his work on the cross and be held by his Spirit that lives in our hearts, whereby we call out “Abba, Father.” Some of the most beautiful words written are, “Who shall separate us from the love of God? Shall trouble, hardship, persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?” Nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. We have been adopted and nothing can separate us from our Father.

      Rest in adoption today, knowing that whatever you face, you face it with the Spirit in your heart that is even now interceding for you.