Being a member of God's big family

oge okonkwo

February 24, 2015 11:06 AM

For a convert into the Christian fold, starting a new life with God's family can take a little while to fully adjust

Bible verse for today: Psalm 68:6 "God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land." (NIV)

For a convert into the Christian fold, starting a new life with God's family can take a little while to fully adjust.

Understanding several things about God's family can help you enjoy and fulfil your role as a member the great family.

The Word for Today devotional by United Christian Broadcasters (UCB) says:

Life in God’s family can be challenging. To enjoy and fulfil your role as a family member you must understand three things: 1) Your rights. When you trusted Christ as your Saviour you became a member of God’s redeemed family (John 3:3-6). That means you have the right to be accepted, loved, protected, respected, provided for, trained, equipped, and rewarded. Regardless of your past mistakes, God guarantees you these rights, so embrace and enjoy them. 2) The rules of the house. Without the rule of law, you end up with anarchy. And it’s the same in a family. Can you imagine what would happen if the kids ran the house? Well, God’s family isn’t a democracy. You don’t get to vote on the rules. God has established unchanging principles in His Word that guarantee His blessing. ‘If you are…obedient, you shall eat the good of the land’ (Isaiah 1:19 NKJV). 3) Our responsibilities to one another. You’re called to accept, love and help your brothers and sisters even when they’re selfish, immature, critical and irresponsible. Remember that God’s family is still ‘under construction’, but it’s much better than any other alternative! You need to participate in regular family life and activities. Early church believers met together ‘daily’ (Acts 2:46); as a result they survived all satan’s attempts to destroy them. So support the life and mission of your church family with your tithes, talent and time. Don’t just be a taker; ‘…God loves a cheerful giver’ (2 Corinthians 9:7 NIV).

oge okonkwo