Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Daily Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

8 October 2024

Reading From Matthew 12:1-21, Mark 3, Luke 6

“Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him. They stood outside and sent word for him to come out and talk with them.  There was a crowd sitting around Jesus, and someone said, “Your mother and your brothers are outside asking for you.”

Jesus replied, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”  Then he looked at those around him and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” —Mark 3:31-35

Quite simply, the way to become part of the eternal family of God is to do the will of God. What is His will for us? Micah 6:8 tells us, “the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”

Harmony and unity with God the Father is promised by trusting in God the Son. Through this life giving relationship we receive new life from God the Holy Spirit who empowers us to do what is right, love mercy and walk humbly with Him. Through Jesus we are adopted into this eternal family in which every born again human becomes a brother or a sister and a child of God, the Perfect Parent.

Mary and the earthly brothers of Jesus should be admired for their faith, but they, like the rest of us, come to the Father through the blood of Christ. We can learn from and be edified by knowing about the lives and testimonies of saints both living and dead, but they are not to be venerated. The ground at the foot of the cross is level and we all walk through the same narrow gate. Christ alone is our mediator and all glory belongs to the Father.

“Lord, I pray that You would bring about greater unity in Your family as we struggle on Earth to see others as You see them. May we have genuine love and grace and mercy for our brothers and sisters. Help us to be patient with each other, bearing one another’s burdens and celebrating strengths and successes. Show us what real community is. Show us how to be a family. In Jesus’ Name I pray these things, Amen.”

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. —Romans 12:1-2

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. —Ephesians 1:3-5