Gotcha Day!

Eleven years ago, my sister and her husband adopted a little five year old boy and their lives have never been the same since.  They went to court, stood before a judge and agreed to take this boy as their own. It was my nephew’s “Gotcha Day”!  To commemorate the day and remind their son of his entrance into their family they planted a small little pine tree in their yard.  And they named it the Gotcha Tree.

That tree is a reminder to their son that he belongs to them.  He's part of their family.

As I looked at that tree I was reminded of my own Gotcha Day.  The day I was adopted into God’s family.  The day I became His! 

God sent Him (Jesus) to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that He could adopt us as His very own children.  And because we are His children, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”  Now we are no longer a slave but God’s own child.  And since you are His child, God has made you His heir.  Galatians 4.5-7 

The day we surrender our lives over to Jesus is our Gotcha Day!    

We were slaves to sin, enemies of Him unable to make ourselves worthy enough to approach a Holy God.  But Jesus, when He took the punishment for our sin, said, “I’ve got this! You no longer have to strive for something you can never attain . . . I gotcha!” 

http://www.freeimages.com/photo/1121232

It was on a tree, hands and feet nailed into its wood and forced into the ground, which held our Savior and commemorates our Gotcha Day.  This gotcha tree reminds us that we are no longer unworthy sinners but children of the King! 

We have a New Identity.  New Status.  New Position.

We have been adopted into God’s Family.  We are no longer slaves, hired hands or beggars.  We are His children and heirs to the Kingdom. 

We have a Gotcha Day!  How. Amazing. Is. That!

 

Do you have a Gotcha Day?  You can.  The Bible says you need to believe and receive.  Believe that only Jesus can save you from your sins and receive his gift of salvation.  "Jesus, I know I'm a sinner and I can't save myself.  I accept your gift of salvation, I understand Jesus took my place when He died on the cross and I want You to come into my life, wash me clean and make me your child.  Amen." 

 

If you prayed that prayer and you believe what God says . . .  It's your Gotcha Day!  You are now a child of God.  Tell someone.  (I'd love to hear from you!) 

 

 The Old Rugged Cross

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,

The emblem of suffering and shame;

And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best

For a worold of lost sinners was slain. 

So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,

Till my trophies at last I lay down;

I will cling to the old rugged cross,

And exchange it someday for a crown!