Romans 8: 19, John 5: 19-20

Dan & Claire Maudhub

We're all looking for the next big thing to move this generation forward, both in Christian circles as well as in the world around us, but what are we really all waiting for? Big question - so let's look at what the Word of God says. Romans 8 verse 19 states that "The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed" (NIV). Let's break it down a bit more. Creation is a big thing - it's everything the LORD God ever put together! This verse implies that every created thing on this earth - you, me our friends, family, filmstars and cows are not just waiting for the revealing of the sons of God but impatiently hanging around for them to be made known. (The word son in the bible means daughters too of course, it's not about gender!).

So why is creation so keen? Because when the sons of God are revealed in every area of society, the love and power of God will be revealed and His Kingdom truly advanced. I'm not sure about you but when I mention church to my friends, they don't quite get as excited as this verse suggests they should. Why? Well for some of the time, we show people a form of church which isn't revealing the sons of God, but revealing a programme, or a set of rules and regulations and creation is not eager for that - it's eager for the sons of God to be revealed. We can move past this and create something funky and growing, but is creation jumping up and down at it? Not yet.

So, next question - what does a son of God look like? Well let's take a brief look at the ultimate example of a son of God: Jesus Christ. He walked this earth fully knowing He was a son of God and that His purpose was to do His Father's will, His Father's way. This is something all sons have to be clear about- their identity and purpose. Jesus knew as He spent time with His Father and in His word, His identity would be clear and His purpose just as clear. In a world like ours, it's so hard to find out our identity (who God really created us to be) and our purpose (what God really intended us to do, not what we think is best). We need to find out how Jesus walked and ask God to show us we are His son.

We are called as sons of God to accurately reflect and represent Christ in every area of our life and in our sphere of influence. We are not called to be Sunday Christians or act 'holy' in front of the right people; wherever we go we reflect and represent Christ. Jesus knew how to reflect His Father and He summed this up in John 5:19-20 where (paraphrase) Jesus states that "He does nothing unless He sees His Father do it and says nothing unless He hears His Father say it"

Now this isn't meant to be a restrictive thing; this is not meant to bring condemnation but freedom. You see a slave has to perform and please His master, but as sons of the Most High, Jesus has made us righteous and as we grow in getting to know Him we become more like Him. This is not a performance thing but a relationship thing. The closer we grow to God the more we become like Him and the more we want to represent Him in every way. As we do this we begin to reproduce Jesus and His character in those we hang around with. Jesus reproduced the Father in the disciples and in those He spent time with. Can we say that we are reproducing Jesus in those around us?

I spent many years away from God and finding my identity in the world and its trimmings and I struggled with my identity and purpose. Until one day, God spoke so clearly into my heart that I belonged to Him, I was His son and I had an inheritance planned just for me in His Kingdom. What a life changing experience that was!

I want to encourage you today to ask God to keep revealing in you that you are His son and that you have the inheritance and the blessing of the Father. As this was revealed in my life it radically transformed the way I think and operate and I know God will do the same for you.