You Are No Longer An Orphan

Over the past month or so, I have been rolling an idea around in my head that I wanted to write about for the blog.  Specifically, I have been wanting to write about the idea of God's adopting love.  I think sometimes I live as one who is justified and forgiven, but fail to live as one who was adopted.  Christine Hoover at Desiring God beat me to the punch, as she reflected on a forthcoming book by Rose Marie Miller.

She writes, "Rose Marie Miller’s husband, Jack, characterized her self-justification as orphanhood: 'you act as if you are an orphan. You act as if there is no Father who loves you' (11).

• Orphans have to take care of themselves.
  
• Orphans must be strong.
  
• Orphans must protect themselves from being taken advantage of.
  
• Orphans cannot depend on anyone.
  
• Orphans cannot be weak.
  
• Orphans crave to be taken in and loved but doubt they ever will.
  
• Orphans want to be accepted, to belong.
  
• Orphans only trust themselves.
  
• Orphans cannot get too close.
  
• Orphans are on the outside looking in.

Friend, are you living as one who is not adopted? Are you continually trying to justify yourself to God?  Are you continually trying to save yourself?