Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

A Daily Devotional by Kenton Cheek

4 May 2024

Reading From Psalms 1, 2, 15, 22-24, 47, 68

“Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.”

–Psalm 1:1-3

Sing to God, sing in praise of his name,
    extol him who rides on the clouds;
    rejoice before him—his name is the Lord.
A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
    is God in his holy dwelling.
God sets the lonely in families,
    he leads out the prisoners with singing;
    but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

–Psalm 68:4-6

     The centerpiece of Eden was the Tree of Life.  While Adam and Eve lived in perfect, uninhibited relationship with God, they ate of it and walked with Him in the cool of the day in the beauty of the garden.  When they decided to go their own way and gave into the lies of the enemy of our souls, they were prohibited by God from partaking of its fruit so that they would not live forever in their newly fallen, sinful nature.  In the Garden of Gethsemane, the suffering of Jesus that would lead to His atoning sacrifice on the cross began. 

     So great was the pressure of all the sins of the world being laid upon His shoulders that He began to sweat drops of blood.  “The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  The first Adam brought sin into the world; the Second Adam conquered sin on the cross and death by His resurrection.  His victory over death also took place in a garden when He burst forth from the tomb and as we look forward to His Second Coming, we place our faith and trust in Him. 

     Because He paid the penalty for our sin debt, we can enjoy life abundant and eternal in Him and with Him in the New Heaven and the New Earth.  There we will find the Tree of Life once more in Eden restored.  There we will partake of its fruit, the nations will be healed, we will enjoy perfect unity with the Father, and we will reign with Christ. 

     As we follow Jesus and depend upon His Word for our spiritual sustenance and growth, we will be like trees planted by streams of cool, refreshing water.  As we keep in step with the Spirit by obeying His Word, we will bring forth good, spiritual fruit from hearts of love.  From this life-giving relationship with God will come love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

     We experience the new birth when we decide to place our trust in Jesus and His all-sufficient grace and mercy.  Our righteousness is as filthy rags.  If we think that we have something we need to add to His finished work on the cross, then we do not believe that He is God and His sacrifice is enough.  He died once and for all and nothing is greater than the death, burial and resurrection of the perfect, sinless Lamb of God. 

     No amount of good deeds or participation in religious ritual is needed or can hold a candle to our redemption bought with the precious blood of Jesus.  We are saved and united with God by His undeserved favor through turning away from sin and to Him in faith.  Faith is believing in the unseen God and choosing to trust in Him.

     The atonement of Christ has far-reaching spiritual effects beyond cleansing us from all unrighteousness.  He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly realms!  Through Jesus, our Advocate and sole Mediator between us and the Father, we have access to the Throne of grace and the core of our regenerated beings have perfect unity and right standing with God.  From the time we are born again, we begin a process of gradually discovering who we are in Him, find a sense of genuine belonging and become more and more like Jesus. 

     Every human family is unique and imperfect.  Some children are abused, some are cherished, some are raised by a single parent, others by grandparents, some have no parents at all.  Part of what is wonderful about faith in Christ is that when we are born again, we are born of the Spirit and adopted into the eternal family of God.  He is our Perfect Parent, the One we can always look to for wisdom, comfort, strength, provision, and protection. 

No one need feel alone in the eternal family of God because God literally takes up residence within us.  By the Spirit we are temples of God and we are gradually being brought together as we reach unity in the faith to become one mighty Temple, the universal Church, the Bride of Christ united with Him as one Body.  “One Lord, one faith, one baptism. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Ephesians 4:5-6

     All of this is so wonderful, but it does not seem to match our present reality.  That is because while we still live in the earthly tents that are our physical bodies, we still struggle with sin.  Local churches, like earthly families, are imperfect and messy.  Emotions are intense, feelings get hurt, pride gets in the way of being about our Father’s business and we each have different, individual personalities that sometimes clash. 

For us to press on toward the goal of our faith, we must see the eternal family of God as being valuable enough to fight our flesh and the enemy for.  If we are truly born again, then God has put love deep in our hearts for our brothers and sisters in the faith.  Sometimes that love is buried beneath a whole lot of baggage. It’s time to dig that love out and share it.

     Therefore, there are times when we must be patient with one another, bearing one another’s burdens and forgiving one another.  This is so very difficult.  It is heartbreaking and excruciating labor, but thanks be to God that He has provided everything we need for life and godliness in His Word and by His Spirit. 

     If we have the same power of God that raised Jesus from the dead alive and active within us, then surely we can resolve squabbles in His eternal family.  By the power of the One who is a Father to the fatherless and a Defender of widows, we will continue to see Him set the lonely into His family.  We are called to be a healthy community, welcoming them with open arms and helping each other along in discovering our identity, community, and destiny in Jesus.

“Lord God, I pray that I would show others in the eternal family of God the same tender love, grace, mercy, forgiveness and acceptance that You have shown and continue to show me every day.  Bind us together with cords of harmony.  I pray that Your people, who are called by Your Name, would humble themselves before You, turn from our wicked ways and experience Your divine healing.  Heal the wounds caused by sin and division and pride.  Bind up the brokenhearted.  Anoint us with the oil of gladness and the power of Your Spirit.  Thank You for adopting us into Your family.  Lead us forward in joy.  I pray all these things in the strong and mighty Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.”

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.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

–John 1:12-14

For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons and daughters of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have receiveda spirit of adoption as sons and daughters 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.

–Romans 8:14-17

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

–Ephesians 2:19-22