Embraced by Grace

Lesson Four • Work to Rest
Devotion 6: Embraced by Grace
David Hudgens 

“And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” Galatians 4:6-7

This passage speaks to our amazing identity in Christ. We are no longer bound by the chains of slavery to our former lives, dead and cut off from our relationship with God the Father. Instead, we are fully adopted as sons and daughters of God, with all the rights and privileges that come with this status.

As I ponder this truth, I am reminded of a personal story that beautifully illustrates this truth. Before my wife and I were married, she quickly became a beloved and endeared member of my family. It was specifically my father who, with an open heart and warm embrace, welcomed her in as if she were his own daughter. In fact, his love and affection for her were so genuine that I often joked to my siblings that she was his favorite child.

Just as my father did not make my wife prove her worth or earn his affection, our Heavenly Father does not require us to work or earn our status as His children. Rather, we are given this incredible privilege because of our faith in what Jesus accomplished on the cross. Romans 8:14-17 reinforces this truth, stating, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 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, and if children, then heirs - heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.”

Our adoption into God’s family is a deeply personal and transformative reality. As heirs, we share in the inheritance of Christ Himself. This inheritance is not something we achieve through our own efforts or merits but is a gift shared with us by the grace of God. When we come to God by faith in Jesus, receiving our new identity as His children, we are set free from the fear of inadequacy or the pressure to earn God’s favor. We are able to confidently live as beloved sons and daughters, secure in the knowledge that our Father’s love for us is unchanging and unconditional.

I challenge you today to live, not as someone striving to earn God’s acceptance, but as a child who has already been accepted and beloved by Jesus. Embrace your identity as an heir with Christ, fully equipped and empowered by the Spirit. Let this truth transform how you approach your relationship with God and with others, living in the freedom and security that comes from knowing you are His dearly beloved child.