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Listen while you read: "Give To Our God Immortal Praise"1
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In my younger years, I was focused on the busyness of daily life and had little interest in my heritage, but over the past twenty years or so, I've become much more interested in my genealogy. We have tools at our fingertips today that allow us to trace our family roots in ways that were impossible not so long ago. The Internet can help us to uncover our lineage over many generations. What we discover may be exhilarating or shocking — or both.
In exploring my family tree, I've learned that my ancestors include noble as well as ignoble members. Family lore has it that one of my forebears was the bodyguard of King James IV of Scotland, but others in the family line were slave owners and rogues. Beginning with Adam, the ancestor we share, we are all a mixture of both good and bad.
Though I have developed a great interest in and curiosity about my ancestral links, I have another family that is of far greater importance than my earthly family. Through my faith in Jesus Christ, I am a full-fledged member of the family of God. As a member of this spiritual family, I have brothers and sisters in the bond of faith worldwide. Race and language in common are irrelevant in this family. The joining link is trust in Jesus and His atoning death on our behalf.
Ephesians 1:5 – God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. (NLT)
Just as it is important to live in such a way that we don't bring shame to our earthly family, so is it important to live in a way that shows that we belong to the family of God.
1 John 3:9 – Those who have been born into God's family do not make a practice of sinning, because God's life is in them. So they can't keep on sinning, because they are children of God. (NLT)
Let's show love and loyalty to our spiritual family by evidencing unity in the body of Christ. May we bring honour to the family name by living in a way that pleases our heavenly Father.
Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, how grateful we are to be called Your children. May we bring honour and not shame to the family name as we walk this earth. Amen.
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About the author:
Gail Lundquist <gail10833@gmail.com>
Beaverton, Oregon, USA
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PTL
Great news, indeed, Gail.
Thank you for sharing this encouraging and instructive devotional with us today. Blessings.
So true, Gail. We recently moved to another state to be with two of my daughters. I love being close to them, but I miss my old church family. I long for that peace and love I felt as I cracked the door to see familiar faces greeting me like sisters and brothers. Thank you for the reminder.
Gail, thank you for a very fitting message for us today in our unfortunate divisions. Thank you for the good reminder to remember that we have been adopted into a new family. Jesus prayed to his Father that we be “brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me.”
Thanks, Gail, for your very good and encouraging words today. Yes, being members in God’s family is a delightful place to be in our daily life.
It is a place where we receive the best guidance and safety from doing wrong behaviour. Blessings for your writings.
Hi Gail,
I agree since I too have developed a family tree to the extent possible. Some things I like and some things not so. Your reminder that we are related by faith in faith, and I am part of a wonderful family – the family of God!
Thank you and God bless.
Another really important reminder about all that we do and say and even think, as our regular habitual behaviour impacts our Lord’s reputation! I love being reminded through other people’s experiences, and analogies.
Different ways of ‘seeing’ and describing life experiences are always enriching to me. Thank you again to.
Thank you, Gail. In some measure, my spiritual family is closer than my biological family.
Privileged to grow up in a family of faith – grandfather, uncle, cousin – all pastors. Now I am challenged to live my faith in a multi-racial, multi-religious family – a challenge I face with prayer and love.
Thanks so much, Gail,
It was encouraging to read through your devotional. As your devotional says, “… I have another family that is of far greater importance than my earthly family.” Being a member of the eternal family of God provides a comfort and peace not available through earthly families or any endeavor.
Blessings!