The Family Plan: When Your Name Unlocks the Promise

“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ…”

Romans 8:16-17 (NIV)

How many of you have ever had a phone ruined by water? It’s frustrating, inconvenient, and—let’s be honest—expensive. The summer before my daughter Victoria’s freshman year of college, her phone met this very fate. Waterlogged and completely unresponsive, it left us with no way to stay in touch as she prepared to leave home. There was no way I was letting her go off to school without a reliable way to connect with her. I had already braced myself. A refurbished replacement phone would run around $150. Of, course at that point all I could hear was this sucking sound coming from my wallet. Well one day while paying my bill at the AT&T store, I figured I’d at least ask about our options. The representative, Zac, took my information—name, phone number, and account password. I stood there expecting the usual spiel: You can put it in rice trick or pay the fee for a used replacement.

But then Zac looked at me and said something I didn’t expect, ”Because your daughter is part of your family plan—because she’s under your account and carries your name—all the benefits that come with the family plan are extended to her. You’re eligible right now for a free brand-new phone. Not refurbished. Not repaired. Brand. New. The latest and greatest.”

I stood there stunned. Not because the phone was free, but because I almost settled for less—something used, something broken—without realizing what was already mine to claim, simply because of the family name. And that, friends, is the Gospel.

Because we belong to God—because we are part of His family—we are not left to scramble for leftovers or repair what’s broken with our own hands. We are heirs. Not of refurbished grace, not of patched-up mercy, not of wishy washy0 righteousness.

But of newness. Wholeness. Full access. The bible declares, “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ...” Romans 8:16-17 (NIV).

As daughters and sons of the Most High, when we carry His name and are covered by His covenant, we don’t earn the benefits—we receive them. Right now! Not because we paid the price, but because Jesus already did. His blood signed the adoption papers, and now every promise that belongs to Him also belongs to us.

So, stop settling for spiritual rice bags and refurbished peace. You’ve been grafted in. You’re covered. You carry the name. And that means every benefit of the family—His power, His righteousness, His wisdom, His favor, His peace—is fully yours.

Right now!

Written by: Dana Carmona, M.A.