Father of Family

Many think about the Church, the Body of Christ, as being a group of people who believe something similiar. We don't often take by faith that the Bible calls us a family, we are brothers and sisters in Christ. Ephesians 3:14-15 point to the fact that god is the Father from who every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. The Lord recently took me through a time of grieving the loss of family in my life growing up, being an only child with a single mother did not feel like the family I had always wanted. I seemed to be stuck trying to make my current family into what I didn't have growing up. This only seemed to cause more pain, disappointment, and longing. Then realizing that the Lord had given me family "in Christ" and that He was redeeming what had been lost. I seem to have a much lower view of family then the Lord does because family is to be one of the main manifestations of His glory on earth. The world has reduced it to be the people who take care of you as you grow up, they are really there just to be a launching place for independence and real life. In America extended family is not nearly valued like it is in other countries. In America we have invented so many variations on what family is: from the gay couple with a child, single parent and children, blended family, and the traditional nuclear family, that even the word family brings confusion. But family finds it's ultimate pinnacle in the family in heaven that God is assembling. I want to see more about this family in Heaven that I may see this kind of Kingdom family on earth. I have been thankful for my losses in the sense that they have led me to desire God and His ways. These losses have come with tremendous pain and sometimes the redemtion seems to come with a great deal of pain as well. I believe God's original intent in creating Adam and Eve out of love was to have a family, where the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit could share the unending love of the Trinity. If the very roots of humanity is family, then family has an important part of God's plan. I am praying that I will see what God sees, that the eyes of my heart will be enlightened. I look forward to what the Lord will reveal, not look backward to what I lost. My mom would always joke that I needed to be born into a big family. I pray that God would begin to renew your mind to how He sees family, freeing us from the deceptions and lies of the Enemy.

In His Amazing Grace,
Bret