My daughter’s aunt Jill and uncle Scott came by to see her yesterday evening. 
On Monday, it was my daughter’s only surviving grandmother who came by the house to share dinner and conversation with her.
Last evening, my daughter’s aunt Kim gave her a gift that will help to sustain her for the next four months after my daughter journeys home tomorrow.
Just last Saturday, my daughter’s aunt Mischele hosted a family gathering in honor and celebration of our mom.
This past Sunday, our after-church lunch meal was shared by those precious souls we call “our family.”
Then a Sunday afternoon filled with my daughter stopping by her cousin’s home to share conversation with those cousins who are so dear to her heart.
Then later in the evening, she enjoyed a short drive to her uncle Curt and aunt Katie’s home to share in celebrating her cousin’s 10th birthday.
FAMILY.

• Hugs from uncles.
• Closeness felt from aunts.
• Kisses from a grandmother. 
• Blessings found through cousins close by & also through those who join from across the world.
• Blessings found through relatives we’ve known since birth & also through those who move securely into our hearts.

Prayers Lifted.
Life Shared.
Memories Remembered & Memories Made.
FAMILY—Truly, it is a beautiful, wonderful gift from God. 

Just yesterday, while driving home, my daughter said, “It’s so nice to have a connection to others [a family].”
Everyone…..Every Person in the World……All Created Beings…….Everywhere in this world……experience difficulties found in this “not so easy” trek we like to call life.   Surely, we live a life filled with pitfalls and turmoil and heartache.
BUT GOD…..He grants us an earthly family to help life become an easier walk, a more satisfying journey.  
Maybe that’s why God provided humanity a spiritual family through His Salvation, “a peace” that brings each one of us into an “eternal family,” one connected not through earthly standards, but one connected only through the blood of Jesus.

In this life, we often talk about flesh and blood brothers and sisters,

• of half-brothers & half-sisters,
• of adopted siblings & adoptive parents,
• of step-sisters & step-brothers,
• of our birth mothers & fathers,
• of step-moms & step-dads, & of “bonus” moms and dads….and even
• of biological grandparents & step-grandparents…….BUT, 

Where love exists, there is never really anything as a “step” this or “step”that?
Where love exists, there is never really surrogate “this or that”?
Where love exists, there is just FAMILY. 
Our Father God gives us an earthly family for a reason.
God knows what we most need—A Savior.
God also knows we each need a family to call our own.
God Knows.
So God…..in His infinite wisdom…..gives to us an eternal family at the moment of our second birth….the moment of our salvation.
We are immediately adopted sons and daughters into God’s family.

How can we know this truth?   We are reminded in so many passages within the Bible of this truth……We belong to God’s family, adopted through the pure sacrifice of the Son of God.   And once adopted, we can never be disowned.  
NEVER!!!
We are God’s forever, and God is our Father from the moment of our conversion.   Now, this may be a mystery we do not fully understand this side of heaven—-the mystery of the resurrection of Jesus Christ to life.
However, even though it remains a mystery; this fact…….our adoption…….remains a TRUTH. 

“In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—–having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1: 13-14).

Amazingly, the promise of God’s Eternal, Spiritual Family comes ONLY After—-

• We “Listen to the message of truth.”
• We recognize “the gospel of our [your] salvation—–.”
• We “also believed.”
• We “were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise.”
• We are “given [God’s Promise] as a pledge of our inheritance.”
• We have “a view to the redemption of God’s own possession.”
• We offer a “praise of His glory” (verses 13-14).

So today, as we traverse through this earthly world, we may understand the comforting power and protection found inside our earthly family—-whether our family comes through biology, adoption, or as an extension of our heart for those we are given to love as we go through this life. Thus, it is comprehensible to see that our families are vitally important to us….while we are alive….here on earth.
However, it is also comprehensible for us to see that God (in His infinite wisdom) would grant us a spiritual family, one filled with sisters and brothers (worldwide)…..After we become adopted by God into His family…..After we first believed…..After we accept Him as our Savior…..At that moment of our conversion…..We become…..FOREVERMORE……a child of God, & We gain a spiritual family……one that can NEVER BE DENIED OR TAKEN.

Our spiritual family & Our spiritual inheritance is 100% secure!!!
Our spiritual acceptance into God’s family is secure!!!

“In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will…” (Ephesians 1: 11).

So, even though we may not fully understand how God works to create all things (this side of heaven), we can still be 100% secure (this side of heaven) in our acceptance of God’s amazing family because God’s Word tells us so.

“In love He predestined us to adoption as sons [and daughters] through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved [God’s Son].
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us.
In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him….”  (Ephesians 1: 5-9).

Hug your family today.
Love your family today.
Ask each of your earthly family members today the most important two questions of all….

“Are you part of God’s eternal family?”
If not, “Would you be open to allow me to show you how to become a member of God’s eternal family?”
THE AMAZING FAMILY OF GOD…..WE ARE CONNECTED…..ONLY…..BY HIS SHED BLOOD.