Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Daily Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

18 September 2024

Reading From Ezra 4-6, Psalm 137

“On the fourteenth day of the first month, the returned exiles kept the Passover. For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were clean. So they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the returned exiles, for their fellow priests, and for themselves. It was eaten by the people of Israel who had returned from exile, and also by every one who had joined them and separated himself from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land to worship the Lord, the God of Israel. And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the Lord had made them joyful and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.”

 –Ezra 6:19-22

     The Temple of Jerusalem had been rebuilt with funds from their captors, the gold and silver vessels were returned, and now the Passover is was once again being celebrated in the Promised Land.  I find it exciting that not only were the Israelites honoring Yahweh with the feast, but “also by everyone who had joined them and separated himself from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land to worship the Lord, the God of Israel.”

     Both Israelites and Gentiles alike were worshipping God together in the beauty of holiness.  This coming together to serve the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob foreshadows what was made possible by the New Covenant.  Not only would all people be united with each other in honoring the Lord, but their sins would be permanently washed away, and right standing and fellowship with God restored.  What is more, those who choose to follow Jesus become sons and daughters of the Most High God, heirs of the promise and grafted into the vine. 

Through the New and Everlasting Covenant, we become part of the eternal family of God.  The life, death and resurrection of Jesus makes this possible. We must turn away from doing life our own way on our terms and accept the gift of salvation freely offered to us by grace through faith in Him. In the Body of Christ we discover who we are, the deepest sense of belonging we could ever experience, and our destiny in perfect unity and harmony with one another and with God the Father. In Him we live and move and have our being.

“Heavenly Father, I pray that You would fill us to overflowing with Your love and kindness that we might welcome into Your family anyone and everyone who truly believers, repents an confesses You as Lord and Savior.  Help us to welcome people no matter what their backgrounds are.  In the Name of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, Amen.”

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

 –Galatians 3:28-29

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.

 –Romans 1:16-17