For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear (Romans 8:15).

Last week, my husband and 16-month old granddaughter were lying together on the grass. As a ladybug walked on his arm, Scott showed Emma the insect. Far from being intrigued, she moved quickly away in fear. Scott brushed off the ladybug and rescued the panicked Emma. Up off the ground and now secure in Scott’s arms, only then did she begin to look at the ladybug. 

Ah, family. They’re meant to provide us love, security, and safety. What a lovely picture. But we all know families can also be challenging, maybe even dysfunctional. Welcome to our next sermon series, Your Beautiful, Messy Family. How can we appreciate the beauty in our families as well as face the challenging, perhaps even unhealthy times? Is there a Biblical pattern upon which we can draw? I’m glad you asked.

The apostle Paul fills his letter to the Roman church with critical discussions of the universality of sin, justification, salvation by faith alone, and the gift of Christ’s righteousness. Tucked into his clarification of doctrine for these new Christians is Paul’s reminder of the incredible privilege of being adopted into God’s family: “we are God’s children…heirs of God… co-heirs with Christ” (8:16-17). We have all the privileges of heirs, including calling God not just Father, but Daddy (v.15). Here’s the Bible’s beautiful photo of family security and tenderness. 

Before you say, but you don’t know what my family is like, let me say these same verses do acknowledge potential problems. They tell us we’ve been “slaves to fear” (v.15), and I can picture many of you nodding your heads. Children trust their earthly parents to dispel the monsters in the dark corners. But what about us as adults with grown-up fears of our own dark corners? Who’s going to chase those away?  With the Holy Spirit’s assurance that we belong to God’s family now, His Spirit can replace that spirit of fear. “You received the Spirit of sonship, and by Him, we cry ‘Abba, Father’” (8:15). As your kids call out in the dark, Daddy!!, so can you. As an adopted child, you’ve been given such an intimate connection with God that you, too, can call out, Daddy! So when those fears get to be too much, reject being a “slave” to them and, instead, run to your Father. 

I want to stress that Christian families have problems, too. And these fears are real. They may seem silly to others (it’s just a ladybug!). They are, more often though, quite serious. They can be as near and personal as an impending job loss, health crisis, or abusive relative or as remote as wars and rumors of more wars. But a sense of dread (“slave to fear”) should no longer consume us. As Christians, we can take refuge in the help, security, and comfort provided by our own families. We can also draw strength to handle fearful situations from our extended church family, which can include professionals if such help is needed. But the ultimate arms of comfort are those of our heavenly Father who has adopted us. Yes, us! 

So what’s your ladybug? Tiny to others, nevertheless, it lurks in a dark corner. Just as you would have called for Mom or Dad in the middle of a terror-stricken night, can you now seek the same comfort from a heavenly Father Who has adopted you, would love to hear you cry out Abba, and waits to settle you on His lap? Then you two can tackle the fearfulness together.