Devotion: Family Resemblance (His Encouragement)

This post is part of the weekly series, “His Encouragement: Thursday Thoughts to Strengthen Your Soul.”  

Scripture:

“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28).”

A Family Resemblance

Have you ever noticed that children often resemble their parents? This is often true for both physical characteristics as well as personality traits. As for me, I have both my mother’s nose and her love of reading. Although I also resemble my father in many ways, in photos like this one, you can clearly see that I am my mother’s daughter.

This is one of my favorite photos because it represents my entire family. It shows my mother, my grandmother, and myself on the day of my ordination. The large cross in the back represents the United Methodist Church. Everyone who follows Jesus is part of God’s family. In the family of God, we are all equal as God’s children. As the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the church in Galatia, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28).”

When I was little, my immediate family included my mother, grandmother, and my grandfather. Now that I’m grown, Jeff and I (along with our two fur babies) are a family. We are also part of a beautiful and wonderful church family that includes two amazing congregations. It takes all of us to make up the unique and beautiful family of God.

 

Blessed are the Peacemakers

Being part of God’s family is a wonderful blessing, but it is also a big responsibility. In the Gospel reading for this week, Jesus gives us all a commission. He tells us to go and to proclaim the Good News that, “the kingdom of heaven has come near (Matthew 10:7).”
How will you proclaim the Good News this week? Our world needs words and actions rooted in the mercy and compassion of Christ now more than ever. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God (Matthew 5:9). “

It is my prayer that we will all come to so closely resemble Our Father in Heaven that everyone will be able to recognize to whose family we belong. As the lyrics to one of my favorite hymns reads, “They will know that we are Christians by our love.”

But we must remember— love is a verb. It is not just a warm fuzzy feeling. Loving one another is rooted in action. When God loved the world, God gave us the gift of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Jesus showed his love for us by suffering death on a cross so that we can know the gift of eternal life.

 

How Can We Reflect the Love of God?

During these troubled times, how will the words we speak and the actions we take reflect on our Great Creator, who is both our Father and Our Mother? It is my prayer that we will show the world that as Christians, we are part of a family that takes seriously the call to love our neighbor as we love ourselves (Mark 12:31).”

Although the world is full of fear and anger, it is my hope that everyone will see how wonderful Our Great Creator in Heaven is by the way we live and love one another.

When people look at me, they can see the face of my mother and my grandmother. The family resemblance is clear. In many ways, I am reflection of my mother.

I hope that I am also a reflection of my Heavenly Father. I pray that by the way I live my life and by the actions that I take, people will also be able to see the love of God reflected in me.

Now, more than ever, the world is watching.

Let them see the family resemblance by the way we live lives that are rooted in love. 

 

Until Next Week,

-Rev. Rebecca

 

This post is part of the series, “His Encouragement: Thursday Thoughts to Strengthen Your Soul.”

Now, it’s your turn! What Scripture verse is inspiring you this week? Let me know in the comments below! I’m excited to join with a group of blogging friends in order to offer you a weekly devotional which will be posted every Thursday.

Please be sure to check out the other great bloggers involved in the His Encouragement weekly series! 

Andi @ Radiant Light

Leslie @ Words of Hope

Claudia @ By Claudia Moser