"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."
- John 10:27, NLT
How do we know God’s voice? This is a question we all ask in our walk with God. Sometimes we search high and low for the answer, but we have the answer within reach. We know God’s voice through reading His Word, the Bible.
The Eastern concept of adoption goes deeper than our Western concept.
Dr. J.D. Watson
The Greek word for adoption is huiothesia (G5206), and it literally means “son-placing”. It is borrowed from a Roman custom, in which a public ceremony is held during a child’s teenage years. It is in this ceremony in which the child, who possesses nothing and has no rights of their own, is officially declared a member of the family. Suddenly, the child is given the mantle of son (or daughter) and is bestowed with every privilege and responsibility of being a member of that family. The relationship between parent and child doesn’t change, but the position does. Now the child bears the identity of a son, an heir to his parents legacy.
What better way to step into a brand new year than to be reminded to “sing a new song” every day?
Like many others, this first day of 2021 is the start of a new devotion for me. This year, in preparation for a summer outreach trip to Israel to cement our first year at Christ for the Nations Institute, I am doing a Hebrew and Greek Word Study devotional by Dr. J.D. Watson. The word for January 1st in the Hebrew study is “New Song”.