Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Daily Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

21 May 2025

Reading From John 7:1-27

“After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him. But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near, Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” For even his own brothers did not believe in him.”

—John 7:1-5

     It’s no wonder that the disciples and crowds following Jesus did not fully understand His calling and mission when His own immediate family did not grasp the enormity of who He was and what He was to do.  Jesus is God and even He would not force those around Him to accept His teachings.  Free moral agency is a vital part of the plan of salvation.  Without it, we would not be able to freely choose a positive response to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. 

     The earthly brothers of Jesus saw the world with their physical eyes from their limited, finite, human perspective.  Joseph and Mary had more insight into who He truly was because of the visitations of angels around the time of His conception and birth.  We are not told anything about the spiritual experiences of His siblings other than that His mother Mary and His brothers joined with the church in Acts 1 and later His brother James wrote an epistle to the Jews that is included in the New Testament.  His brothers, from their worldly point of view, thought that Jesus should follow a career strategy to promote Himself.  They did not realize that the Lord’s ways are divine and mysterious. 

     The Son of God became the Son of Man in order to become our perfect example of how to walk in humility with the guidance of the Father through the inspiration and power that comes with the Presence of the Holy Spirit.  His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts.  Therefore, God can bless us with supernatural knowledge and wisdom that human beings just don’t get apart from Him.  This is why, as His children, we need to rely on Him and not our own limited capabilities. 

“Lord Jesus, I am humbled by and grateful for Your perfect example of life and godliness.  I pray that You would show me how to rely on the Holy Spirit as You did during Your time upon the Earth.  Empower me to do Your will rather than have my own way.  I love You Jesus and my desire is to please You.  In Your Name I pray, amen.”

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.

—Isaiah 55:8-9

Better is one day in your courts
    than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
    than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

—Psalm 84:10