Nougat 29

What’s your name? In Europe, at least in Switzerland, this question on an official document refers to the family name (ie one’s surname), and not the first name. Thus, on forms, my name is Ashwood, denoting the family with which I am affiliated. But, if as yesterday’s nougat indicated, we have a new name, what is our name? Consider today’s Holy Nougat

“But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the authority (power, privilege, right) to become the children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name–[Isa. 56:5.]” ‭‭John‬ ‭1‬:‭12‬ ‭AMPC‬‬

I know otherwise, but even when I see the nougat in front of me, my brain reads ‘called’ instead of ‘become’. And become is powerful. Becoming is about irrefutable identity; being in the process of; or existence. Now I fully understand if you are a little lost, as we all already ‘exist’, but this is about truly living; fulfilling our potential even.

So yes, in the beginning (well, probably closer to the end of the beginning) we were created with purpose. And, within the context of being God’s creation, we are all God’s own. But selfishness and sin gained precedence, and by and large we presumed that in bearing God’s likeness we are actually gods in our own right. And that attitude has remained with us to the extent that we have been separated from God, failing to ‘be’ (to fulfill our purpose and potential as) God’s children; ie loving and dependent upon God.

Loving Creator as God is, Plan ‘C’ has been in place from the beginning. Yes, from the onset, Jesus Christ (hence Plan ‘C’) has been the warranty for us to revert to purposeful existence. And though for a time, the plan seemed exclusive to Jacob’s kin, there’s always been room for you and me. Living in purpose is a right and privilege. It is a right because we are authorized to ‘become’ God’s children. But the caveat in the nougat, ‘to them that believe’ in Him (ie Plan C), indicates that not all of us accept that.

For the crux of our identity lies in our hearts; in our willingness to believe that God is, that Jesus is The Only Begotten of God (see John 1:18) and therefore that Jesus is God (see John 1:1). Therefore, as hard or simple as this is to accept, is as hard or simple for us to come into the fullness of our own purpose. And that’s why becoming is a privilege. Not all of us get it.

But when we do, in becoming sons and daughters, we once again exist as children and as God’s children, we carry God’s name. We are Children of God. That’s The Family with which We Affiliate!

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May all we seek be found in Christ