Sunday, August 1, 2010

I am Legitimate

I shared earlier my need to be validated. The definition of ‘validating’ (which is necessary for validation) is: to recognize, establish, or illustrate the worthiness or legitimacy of.

le·git·i·mate
Verb: Justify or make lawful.
to establish as lawfully born
to justify; sanction or authorize

That brings me back to the awesome book by John Sheasby called Birthright.
Through the book and the subsequent bible studies that he presented on my Alaskan Cruise we learn that we as heirs to God’s Kingdom are loved unconditionally by our Father who sent us His son to reveal his character to us. Through the teaching of Jesus we see that God is our loving Father who simply wants to be in a loving relationship with us. For us to tug gently on his nightshirt and ask for all that we need will be freely given to us as his children.

We see in Romans 8:
15For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

We are legitimate…we are sons and daughters. And…we are justified.

Galations 3: In Christ we are justified by faith

Galations 3: 26You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

It is sad really…to think that my Father in Heaven had to watch as I, who had been given all, beat myself up and allowed myself to be marginalized because of feelings of unworthiness and because of the pain and damage of years of not feeling validated – when in truth I am fully worthy and a legitimate heir to his Kingdom and have been all along. There is nothing that I need to measure up to…no assurance that I need to have from a person, a man, a relationship, which will validate me more than I already am!

Father, I am so sorry for being blinded by human frailty and pride and for failing to see just how worthy and legitimate I am. I accept all that you have waiting for me and am in love with the Princess that you have made, which is me - an heir to your incredible Kingdom! I walk through your creation with renewed vision and everlasting hope.