If you have been born in wedlock, you probably know what it means to be legitimate. Or you might not have even thought about it because things were just normal that way. However, there are countless people who are, according to the law of the land, illegitimate. If we take a step back from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, we will often take notice of things we have taken for granted. Well, at least I do.
Life is sometimes like a walk in the park, a gentle wave of peaceful composure and enjoyment and contentment. We have often taken walks to decompress and even to take time from those who cause the pressure in the first place. Some people might take out their frustrations on a heavy bag or scream into a pillow or draw or write to get their feelings out. Fortunately, it is possible to do these things so we don’t try to hurt others as we have been hurt. But what of those times when it seems the pressure won’t just go away? How about those nights when all your mind does is race from one subject to the next? What can we do then? I always suggest honest prayer straight from the heart. Time spent with God is never wasted and always has benefits.
You should be changed in some way after every prayer.
- Bill Johnson, lead pastor, Bethel Church
When Jesus walked the Earth, everything He did was from His heart - a heart bursting at the seams with perfect love. He lived with full expression of His divinity, though most people did not understand what He was doing or why. You might recall when Jesus, from the Cross, stated, “Forgive them, Father, for they don’t know what they’re doing.”
As we read the Bible, we find those who didn’t try to understand His method were the ones who were most blessed. They just believed. It might be difficult to trust anyone right now, but when we trust the One who made the Universe at His beck and call, anything becomes possible.
It seems a strange thing to try to figure out God, when you think about it. If we could figure out God, He wouldn’t be much of a God, would He? Jesus loved, and loves, lavishly and profusely. Hallelujah that we still have access to Jesus so we can benefit from His goodness and grace as people did 2000 years ago. He lives!
But why am I writing about legitimacy? Well, because the Holy Spirit put it on my heart this morning. So, you are right to assume that I have experienced deep feelings of illegitimacy. If you are a child of divorce, you might know what it feels like to feel illegitimate. If you feel alone, you might just feel illegitimate. If you struggle with your identity, know Jesus has a way out of that, as well. When a person has been rejected and abandoned and left as an orphan, feelings of illegitimacy can come creeping in. As a matter of fact, Jesus was illegitimate, according to human standards, because Joseph and Mary had not undergone matrimony prior to her miraculous conception.
Photo by Birmingham Museums Trust on Unsplash
Jesus was visited by the devil himself in the wilderness when He was fasting. Satan tried to get Jesus to turn a stone into bread (aka, spend miracle-working power on His flesh - selfishness), jump off the highest point of the Temple in Jerusalem to see if the angels would save Him (put the Lord your God to the test), and, finally, offered Jesus the opportunity to join his kingdom, but as a servant, which would mean Jesus would have to betray His Father, forever sacrificing His eternal life and forfeiting His authority in Heaven. Satan really didn’t stand a chance, but he tried to trick Jesus three different times by insinuating that Jesus might not be the Son of God. Sadly, it wasn’t only Jesus the devil tries to tempt. The devil is always using deceit to tempt us to doubt who and what we are, not just to try to get us to give up on God.
The Pharisees, Sadducees, and teachers of the law assailed Jesus with question after question and challenge after challenge seeking an opportunity to trick Him into making a mistake. Jesus made no mistakes (never sinned) and, so, He fulfilled one critical segment of Mosaic Law - legitimacy as a sacrifice. He was, ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.’ Of course Jesus knew exactly who He was - the One who was and is and is to come, as the Bible says.
We all prefer to be wanted and where we are wanted, but sometimes, we have to go where we are not appreciated or wanted. That can even happen in our own homes. But we need breakthrough from being unappreciated and illegitimate and only Jesus can give us the right to become a child of God. He has all the power and authority in Heaven and on Earth we could ever need. When we turn our lives over to Jesus, He can turn the darkness into light and redeem anyone from the burdens of sin and curses.
Everyone wants to be wanted, but do you have Jesus in your life? He wants you! He wants us to be part of His Heavenly family so we will never be illegitimate (a child of Satan) anymore. It is Jesus’ desire to bring us into His family and He made a way where there was no way through the Cross. The Messianic covenant, available for us to join in good faith, is a blood covenant open to all mankind - no exceptions. Joining this covenant means we have joined God’s family. When we make Jesus our Lord and Savior, we become His spiritual brothers and sisters. Hallelujah!
PRAYER
Father God, You are holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come. I praise Your Name for it is the Name above all names and at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue confess He is Lord. All nations on Earth shall be blessed through Jesus and He is the Savior and Redeemer of all nations; the Beloved and the Righteous One. Hallelujah! As I go about my days, I entrust myself into Your Hands. You are the only One who can and will lead me into all truth by Your Holy Spirit. Thank You for always being available to me and I honor and respect You for Your massive sacrifice, Jesus, on the Cross. You took my punishment (torture and death) upon Yourself in my place and I cannot thank You enough. Please give me the opportunity to praise and worship You as You deserve. Lead me into Your hallowed halls of love and grace and into Your corridors of peace and righteousness. I long to remain in Your presence forever and let forever start today. Help me to be strong when I am weak and smart when I feel stupid. Please train me up as Your child and eliminate all feelings of illegitimacy from my heart as I open my heart to You. Thank You for Your attention to my humble prayers and I look forward to watching Your miracles unfold in my life. In Jesus’ mighty name, amen.
Photo by Alexis Fauvet on Unsplash