Family Of God

Chuckle: “A young boy, ready for bed, interrupted a family gathering in the living room. 'I'm going up to say my prayers now. Anybody want anything?'”

 

Quote:  “Acting is just a way to make a living, the family is life.” --Denzel Washington

 

FAMILY OF GOD: (Ephesians 2:11-22)

 

   "So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with God's holy people. You are members of God's family" (Ephesians 2:19 NLT). "Whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone, especially to our Christian (family) brothers and sisters" (Galatians 6:10 NLT)

 

To me, the word "family" is one of the most comforting words in the English language. On your walls, or in albums at home, you likely have pictures of both your immediately family members and those who have passed from the scene. Past or present, they are still family. They are all a part of our very being. They determined who we are; and we inherited our physical characteristics from them.

 

In the same way our spiritual ancestors are a part of us and they formed the basis of who we are today. If you grew up in a Christian home where God's Word was taught and His love was modeled, I don't need to remind you how fortunate and blessed you really are. Just take a moment and reflect on the beautiful memories of that wholesome family experience. If you did not grow up in a Christian environment, but found Christ through the witness of another faithful Christian, you can rejoice because of that spiritual family member who loved you and led you to Christ.

 

As I reflect on the extent of God's love for me, and his adopting me into his eternal family through faith in Christ, a great joy and sense of gratitude wells up within me. Just think, you are an heir and joint-heir with Jesus to all the kingdom of God entails. God loves you and blesses you with His presence within you in the form of the Holy Spirit. You are further blessed to share in His family with all those within the church -- your spiritual brothers and sisters who love you and have your best interests at heart. So, let's think about what it means to be in God's family?

 

    (1) It means we acknowledge that we belong to God. He created us and redeemed us through Jesus Christ. The belonging relationship is established.

    (2) It means that it is God our Father who holds the family together through His Son who is the head of the church. When we recognize that we mutually and equally belong to God, it will bring harmony within His family.

    (3) It means that only in this family can we grow to be what God wants us to be. As the child requires nurture and care in his earthly family, the new Christian needs spiritual nurturing and love to grow into the family member God desires.

     (4) It means we rejoice at the birth of a new member. When we get the news that a baby has been born, we immediately spread the word to every family member. We do so with great joy. Likewise the church, entrusted with the good news of salvation, proclaims with joy the gospel of forgiveness. We rejoice when a new believer is "born again" into God's family and our local church fellowship, and when missionaries tell us of new births into our family in distant lands.

 

Love, Jerry & Dotse