I was watching a Netflix series called The Queen’s Gambit. In the first episode the main character, Beth, and her mother was driving in the car. Her mother tells her to close her eyes and crashes into a truck in a head-to-head collision. Instantly, Beth’s status changes to that of orphan, because she doesn’t know who or where her father is.

At the orphanage she keeps looking out of the window, and like the other children, she wonders if she’ll ever have a new mother or father. After a few years, her status changes to that of adopted child. Again, the father is absent, but the mother becomes like a friend who helps her climb the ladder until she becomes one of the best chess players in the world.

I don’t think we always realise this, but Jesus also made it possible for us to change our status. Our status was that of being lost. The road we were walking was the road to eternal death. But Jesus’ death was the sacrifice that completely changed our status. From being lost to being winners. From being orphans to being God’s children.

¹⁰When he added, “I’m here to do it your way,” he set aside the first in order to enact the new plan—God’s way—by which we are made fit for God by the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus.

I suspect we’re not always aware of what this status means. If we really understood what it means, we would live differently. But even the smallest opposition makes our legs go weak and we stumble, because we forget our real status. We forget who our Father is. We forget that we belong to God and only to Him. He will look after us.

I received an e-mail from Michelle in the Eastern Cape. She tells a moving story. Her new husband understands his status of being a child of God. He had been out of work for two years, despite submitting hundreds of job applications. But he still believed and with everything in him held onto God’s Word.

Michelle said that her faith wavered fairly often. She got a mall job in a salon, but lost it due to the lockdown. But when she lost hope, her husband reminded her of the promises in God’s Word and that their Father would care for them.

He went on a two-week fast and again applied for jobs, and was invited for an interview. Everything went well and they said they would let him know if he got the job. They phone rang on Friday and they said that he didn’t get the job as forklift operator that he had applied for. He was too well qualified, they said. They wanted to appoint him in a higher position.

He received the position, salary and benefits that he had prayed and trusted God for!

What a wonderful testimony of someone who knew exactly what his status in God is. He lives it. He lives as a child of God. He trusts his heavenly Father with everything in him.

May this become true in our lives. May we also live like children with a new status in every moment, in good and bad: I belong to God!

Scripture
Hebrews 10:1-10

Reflection
Are you aware of your new status?
Do you live your new status?
Can others see it?

Prayer
Our Father, thank you for my new status. Thank you that I know I am the child of the heavenly God, sharing in all the benefits and promises. Please help me make this my own and to live accordingly. In Jesus’ Name, amen.