THE HOLY FAMILY

Can I pray for you in any way?

Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Both the One who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. He says,

“I will declare Your name to my brothers and sisters; in the assembly I will sing Your praises.”

And again,

“I will put my trust in Him.”

And again He says,

“Here am I, and the children God has given Me.”

Hebrews 2:11-13

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Bring up the matter of family and it can invoke varied emotions and reactions.

The assumption is that every family is loving and caring towards one another with everyone always getting along perfectly but this just isn’t reality. Not even close.

In fact, dysfunction within families might just be more the norm than the exception these days with friction, disassociation, and infighting commonplace. You know, like the trepidation and anxiety that comes in even mentioning a gathering for the holidays or a family reunion.

Now, if you’re in the midst of a family situation such as this, you have probably found yourself envying, and even coveting, family relationships you see where everyone seems to get along so well all the time. You see these wonderful relationships shared and yearn for yours to somehow be the same as you find yourself exhausted from all the ongoing conflict and constant ever present drama.

The truth of the matter is that families are a collection of imperfect people trying to find a way together. Yes, they are related and this is what separates them from people who are strangers to one another, but they are no less sinners who can either be in Christ or not. Perhaps this latter point is where the crux of the matter falls, that within a family unit, there are people unyoked in their faith and this in and of itself is the impetus for disunity.

You see, Jesus is the great Uniter of people and God made it that way by His perfect design. Everyone who willingly chooses to believe in Jesus as Savior becomes a child of God and an automatic sibling of His Son. The scriptures assure us of this.

The true Light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him. Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. John 1:9-13

Every person who believes in Christ, therefore becoming a Christian, is a child of God just as much as Jesus is. They become part of God’s holy family, justified and redeemed, co-heirs with their Savior in gaining the inheritance of God’s kingdom (Romans 8:14-17).

And so as we read in today’s passage from Hebrews 2, Christians are “of the same family” through “the One (Jesus) who makes (them) holy” and He “is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters”.

Friends, no matter how flawed, fractured, and fight-inclined your family might be, you can always find comfort and peace in knowing there is a precious family of God ready to welcome you in with open arms, a family where you get to be a sibling with Jesus, the perfect Savior of the world and King who rules and reigns in authority and supremacy over all things in Heaven and on earth, and yet loves all His brothers and sisters deeply, brothers and sisters who will love as He loves through their special spiritual connection with Him.

My prayer is that you are a part of His family and if you’re not, today can be the day to join it and change your life forever. All you have to do is accept Jesus as your Savior.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.