Family: The Joy of Belonging
Sitting together at a family reunion held in the fellowship hall of the church, it was easy to sense the fun, laughter, and love shared. For as long as I can remember, we have joined as a family each mid-July to celebrate the heritage of our family. Years ago, when my grandparents were alive, this meant that they traveled from their Indiana home to stay the week with us at our home. The memories fill my heart still.
- What helps us know who we are?
- What leads us to understand the truth: God loves us?
When dad was alive, he valued “family,” and we were taught early to love one another, to not fight against each other, and to walk in obedience. Always, I knew I was loved, valued, and part of something BIGGER than me. This causes me to pause and recall dad’s favorite Bible verse, one written by Solomon, the son of King David.
“Behold, children are a gift of the LORD,
(The Psalms 127: 3-5 NASB)
The fruit of the womb is a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.
How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them;
They will not be ashamed
When they speak with their enemies in the gate.”
Yesterday was our annual Hall reunion, and as usual, we decorated the fellowship hall, dressed up in theme-attire, and celebrated in holiday-like fashion. “Christmas with the Halls” was the theme this year, and as family members arrived, everything “Christmas” appeared. Some wore Santa hats, others wore Christmas shirts, a few had chosen holiday pants, and many Christmas t-shirts could be seen across the room.
What stood out most was the joy felt as we gathered together as a family.
Cousins, aunts & uncles, children, parents & grandparents filled the entire room, even though some were no longer with us, for the Lord had called them home years ago. In fact, several of the original family members are deceased, dying years before I was born; yet their heritage continues.
Today, as I reflect on the fun shared yesterday, the blessing of “family” resonates deep within me.
In the Bible, the psalmist David, the father of many sons and daughters, wrote about the importance of brotherly (and sisterly) unity.
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
(The Psalms 133: 1-3 NASB)
For brothers to dwell together in unity!
It is like the precious oil upon the head,
Coming down upon the beard,
Even Aaron’s beard,
Coming down upon the edge of his robes.
It is like the dew of Hermon
Coming down upon the mountains of Zion;
For there the LORD commanded the blessing—life forever.”
- Did we hear the significance of the words, sensing the importance of belonging?
- Does God want all of humanity to believe and to become part of God’s family?
- Is it possible to fight against our family and love God at the same time?
- Could it be that we have allowed a division within our own family to drive us apart?
- As believers, is it our responsibility to strive for unity within our families?
Yes, I think we know the answers. When I was a child, my dad guided our family, while my mother nurtured each one of us. One particular rule my dad enforced was that we were not allowed to fight among one another. Sure, we had squabbles, and just like any family, we were quick to exchange words that were often spoken in heated-angst. Nevertheless, we were taught to respect one another, to strive to get along, and beyond everything, to LOVE.
As we compare our earthly families, it is impossible to separate them from the family of God. There is a deep-abiding Joy of Belonging.
Does the fact that some of our earthly family members are also brothers and sisters-in-Christ, members of God’s family, make a difference in how we walk through life? I believe it does, for this means that the union of our biological family, of belonging to a family much larger than our earthly heritage, will last for eternity. The Bible is clear in this. In Christ Jesus, we are sons and daughters of God through faith, and as believers in Jesus Christ, we are united by faith and the Holy Spirit. The spiritual family is quite distinct because Scripture emphasizes that through our faith in Jesus, we are heirs of God and co-heirs with Jesus Christ, the Son of God. So, this means that men and women across the world, those we do not even know by name, belong to us, within God’s Family.
“For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
(The Letter of Paul to the Romans 8: 14-17 NASB)
For you have not received a spirt of slavery leading to fear again,
but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”
The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,
and if children, heirs also,
heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ,
if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”
Unfortunately, some of my earthly family members are not followers of Jesus because they have not yet given their hearts to God. So, we, those of us who already believe—Lift them in prayer, asking God—
- To protect them until they believe,
- To help them see the love for God in us,
- To provide us opportunities of witness about our Savior Jesus, and
- To guide us through our actions, revealing why belonging to GOD’S FAMILY is most-important of all.
Family—There is an Amazing Joy of Belonging!