The Big Sister Card
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now 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. Romans 8:14-17
Insight
“I’m not afraid to pull the big sister card, if I have to.” As I sat with a friend, eating tacos at our favorite local spot, I found myself saying these words. This was January of 2022, and I was in the process of figuring out My One Word for the year. I went through a series of words, but nothing felt quite right. The word “sister” had been on the list of words I was praying through but I didn’t understand why or what that meant for me.
As our conversations turned to our words for the year, I shared a couple and then shared that I was thinking about “sister.” As I was talking it became clearer that “sister” had to be my word. But in that moment, I thought it was to challenge me to be a better sister to my siblings and to the women I had the honor of mentoring. I thought the Lord was pushing me to do better and to be a better role model for them; but now, in reflecting on 2022, it was to get me to understand the familial nature of God.
Since my parents divorced when I was 4 years old, I have had to navigate complicated and turbulent times with my family. It has been a journey and honestly one I am still in the process of figuring out. This year has challenged me in so many ways in those relationships and the thing I kept coming back to is the goodness of our Abba Father and the adoption that we have through Jesus’ sacrifice.
In Romans, Paul reminds us that we are children of God, and we experience an adoption into a new family when we walk with Jesus. MOW of “sister” helped me understand and process that even though family can be hard and navigating difficult situations with them can be tough, we can rest in the family of God and rest in Him as our good, good Father.
Being open to your MOW surprising you can lead to some beautiful moments with the Father. Holding your MOW loosely before the Lord and letting Him determine how it will shape you throughout the year can be scary but can lead to a greater understanding of His love and grace.
Reflection
Where in your life do you need to be open to the Lord surprising you?
Prayer
Lord, thank you for Your goddess and grace. Thank you for the adoption that we receive when we walk with You. Lord, help me to be open to Your will. To lay down my way for Yours and to be surprised by what You have for me. Give me fresh eyes to see You at work in my life this year. In Your name, Jesus. Amen.
Sam Noland, Treasure Island Volunteer Coordinator at the Wilmington Campus, wrote today’s devotional.