“But now, thus says the LORD, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!" Isaiah 43:1 NAS

Isn't it a wonderful thing to know to whom you belong? In life we grow up always with that desire. We want to know that we belong to our parents and as we grow up we desire to know we belong to our friends. When become adults and marry we want to know we belong to our spouse's. All the while having this desire to belong is the ultimate knowledge of belonging. Here is the greatest confirmation we can have, "I have called you by name; you are Mine!"

We belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. We are the Lord's possession. This verse was originally written to the Israelites who were brought out of captivity from Babylon. 1 Peter 2:9 says, "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (NAS)." He has called us by name and we were the joy set before Him on the cross (Heb 12:2).

We were chosen and adopted by the Father of light. Imagine going into an orphanage looking around and telling the caretakers we will take them all. They might object and say, "That rascal in the corner is very rebellious! Are you sure you want them all?" You reply with a joy filled, "Absolutely!" And so you adopt them all even the rebellious ones. They are yours and little do they understand your love for them.

You call each one of them by name and tell each of them how much you love them and the price it cost to take them all. Some of the rebellious ones reject you as their new father or mother. Some of them run away and this breaks your heart. You never forget that child and someday they may return to you. A day you long for. You spend the rest of their lives telling all of them they are yours. They will never again long for a Mom or Dad of their own. You tell them the rest of their lives, "You are mine!"

How comforting to know we are His forever and His Holy Spirit indwells us to let us know we are His children. Romans 8:16 says, "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God (NAS)." 1 John 5:13 says, "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life (NAS). Through these two verses alone we know we are His and we know we will live with Him forever.

The Father did not spare any expense to take us all. He looked at all of us; even us rebellious ones and took us even still knowing we might run away. "Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will (Eph 1:4-5 NAS)." “…We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Eph 2:10 NAS).”

I just love this kind of confirmation to our hearts from the Lord, don’t you? This is another thing I try to drive home to my kids. This is something I make mention of when I am praying with them. I try to diligently remember to thank the Lord for giving them to me. Then as often as I can remember I reinforce it by telling them how glad I am that they are mine. How much more the heavenly Father wants to confirm this to you His beloved child whom He paid such a dear price for. Take a moment today and thank Him that you are His.

Forever His,
Adam