We do not choose our family. We are born into our family by the will of God; However, we do choose our mate – hopefully, according to God’s plan for us – and we give birth to children or adopt them by the will of God for us. He knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10), and He does not make mistakes.
Some people reject their family of origin for one reason or another. They discard the history they have with their family and go out into the world to make their own way. They choose their “framily” from their circle of friends; and they find unity and happiness with them around a similar worldview, hobbies, interests, and philosophies.
I was so immersed in the idea of family that I had a collection of animal basket families - families of frogs, chickens, fish, ducks, elephants, etc. I was so happy in my little family and with my extended family. Then... my immediate family got blown apart through choices made and history rejected.
Now, my family has enlarged by two stepchildren and a growing number of step-grandchildren. So far, I have a total of five children and eight grands. God has a way of multiplying our blessings in the midst of satanic attempts to tear us down and to discourage us.
As Born Again Believers, we are part of another family - we are actually adopted into the family of God (Romans 9:8; Ephesians 1:5-6; John 1:5-9, 12-13). He is our Father and Jesus is our Brother – He is the only begotten son of God (Hebrews 1:1-4; John 3:16); but we are co-heirs with Jesus of God’s entire Kingdom (Romans 8:14-18; Matthew 25:34; 1 Thessalonians 2:12).
We are precious to our Heavenly Father, and He really, really cares about every aspect of our life (1 Peter 5:7). He gives us the indwelling of His Holy Spirit as a down payment and guarantee of our eternal destiny in His presence (Ephesians 1:13-14; Hebrews 7:24-25). This union with the Trinity of God humbles us and gives us hope for tomorrow (Romans 9:25-26).
Prayer:
Father God, we can never thank or praise You enough for including us in Your family (Hebrews 12:28; Ephesians 2:19-22). We love that You want us in Your family, and willingly gave up Your Son to equip us with His righteousness, so You can embrace us as Your children (1 John 3:1-2; Galatians 4:4-7). You gave us a sense of belonging with people in this world that often reject us for various reasons, but You never leave or abandon us (Hebrews 13:5).
You make us a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), and replace our carnal desires with spiritual ones, as well as the wholesome aspects of our personality, Jesus’ divine nature, and the fruit of Your Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23; 2 Peter 1:4). You give us Your confidence, wisdom, joy, and peace that transcend anything we can find in this world, which is controlled by sin. Remind us to reach out to those around us with Your free gift of love and redemption (John 3:16-17; Romans 5:15; Ephesians 2:8).
Thoughts for the Day:
As Born Again Believers, we do not conform to the ways of the world in which we live because we are foreigners and aliens on this globe due to the fact that God adopted us into His family. Now we live according to His plans and purpose for our life, which involves a wider and wider breach between His truth and the world’s immoral philosophies and practices.
-Romans 12:2; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 1:3-5, 2:19
