I can remember the day each of my children first arrived at my home--most parents probably can. My son arrived in the afternoon. He was eight weeks old when a social worker brought him to our front door and rang the bell. As we answered the door my wife and I saw him for the first time! I got to hold him first! He looked up at me and smiled (I'm sure he was not suffering from gas pains!). No boy was more prayed for, more desired, or more loved than he! He was, and still is, my favorite son (my only son)!

Three and a half years later we met our daughter for the first time, at the airport. We arrived early. In suspense, we watched most everyone get off the plane--including several flight attendants. Then she arrived--a little fiveweek old bundle of energy. The watching flight attendants got misty eyed as we held her, hugged her, loved her, and accepted her into our family. She was, and still is, my favorite daughter (my only daughter)!

After each of our children arrived, the second most exciting day was when we stood before the judge legalizing the adoptions. Up until that time, they were not legally a part of our family--they could have been taken away or we could have given them back (we never even considered it!). After we met with the judge a birth certificate was issued that showed them being born into our family, even though we were not the birth parents. They were now our children!

It would be nice to report that both of my children are perfect. It would have been nice if they had always told us when they needed to go to the bathroom so they would not mess up their diapers. It would have been nice if they always, cheerfully cleaned their rooms. It would have been nice if there were never any displays of temper. It would have been nice if they were always truthful, always thankful, and always polite. It would have been nice if they always ate their vegetables without complaining, always got along, and always did their homework without being asked. Alas, they were (and are) no more perfect than I am. They have made their share of mistakes--some even deliberately.

It is nice to report that they are both still my children (my favorite children)--loved, prayed for, disciplined, and desired. We knew they would make mistakes ... so do we. We know they are growing in their understanding of what is good, right, and wholesome ... so are we.

We love and accept our children because we have chosen them to be a part of our family. We love them not because they do all the right things or avoid doing all the wrong things--we love them because they are our children!

As parents, we expect our children to be growing and maturing. We expect mistakes. We deal with rebellion and disobedience. We teach, we nag, we beg, we discipline--but we never disown. We know that inspite of any difficulties, unless our children leave us, we will love them into maturity. In our family there is security.

Many Christians feel a whole lot less secure in their relationship with God than they do in their family--and God is supposed to be the ultimate Father! They feel like they are constantly "in" or "out" of the relationship. Why do so many have such a hard time feeling secure? What does it mean to be secure in Jesus? What is our security in Jesus based on?

"And this is that testimony (that evidence); God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who possesses the Son has that life; he who does not possess the Son of God does not have that life. I write this to you who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) the name of the Son of God ..., so that you may know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that you [already] have life, yes, eternal life." 1 John 5:11-13 (The Amplified Bible)