In me you live and move
and have your being
for you are my offspring.

Acts 17:28
28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being;
as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
(NIV Bible)

In this scripture passage, the Apostle Paul is debating with the men of Athens about their altar dedicated to the UNKNOWN GOD. Speaking to a crowd of pagan people, Paul makes a connection to their own Greek poets by agreeing that everyone is indeed Gods offspring. Being Gods offspring does not mean that every person is automatically in relationship with God as His child, for we know that becoming a child of God is a decision that we all need to make of our own free will (John 1:12-13). But whether we decide to be His child or not, God is still Father, for Father is more than just His name, but also expresses His very nature.

If we are to begin to comprehend Father's heart for the lost ones who are yet to come home, we will need to understand this truth. Every person, ever conceived, came from God and was fashioned in His image. He loves each person intimately and is not willing that one of His offspring should perish.

In Christian circles, we can easily fall into an us and them mentality where we think that we are in, and those who are not Christians, are out. In God's eyes, His heart breaks for ALL of His offspring. The next time you meet a person who does not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, remember the heart of your Father. In His eyes, He sees them as His estranged offspring who He desperately wants to come home.

This is the good news that the world needs to hear! God loves you and He is the Father that you have been looking for all your life! He made a way for you to come back into relationship with Him through the precious sacrifice of His only Son, Jesus.

Sharing the gospel is simply calling each one of God's offspring back to their original purpose...to be re-united with the One who knit them together in their mother's womb. If you don't identify with Father's passion for ALL His offspring, ask Him to reveal it to you. You may be surprised at what you begin to feel.

PRAYER
Father I know that You are not willing that one of Your offspring should perish. Help me to see people through Your eyes. Help me to feel Your pain for all of the lost children who still haven?t found their way home. Please give me Your heart for Your wayward offspring, and help me to be an ambassador of Your love, not judging people, but simply calling them home to their original purpose. In the name of your beloved Son Jesus, I pray, Amen.