A Forever Family

-“He replied to him, ‘Who is my mother and who are my brothers? Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12:48-49) Family. What once were relationships that may have been warm and loving, they can turn into relationships that are cold and distant. We each long for the closeness of a family. We can long for the days of our youth. Or as a father, we can want to freeze time when our children are at a certain age, an age when they look to us with deep admiration and dependence and we were younger and more vibrant. But time passes and relationships change. Siblings grow apart. Grandparents pass away and then parents die. Then siblings die and spouses may leave and if not they will eventually die..leaving us behind (or we will leave them behind) How does a man keep a sense of “family” in the midst of the fragility of our earthly family? Jesus defined “family” as those who did the will of the His Father in heaven. Jesus, before the cross and His resurrection, was looked at by His biological family with great misunderstanding. (Only later did they see Him for who He was, the Messiah) Jesus was not minimizing the importance of the family here but maximizing the importance of obedience to the Father and how that creates intimacy within members of His family. And this is an eternal family that will be together forever when this fleeting life is over. Dear Father, surround me with true brothers and sisters who delight in doing Your will. Help me not complain about the lack but BE a good brother to my brothers and sisters. I desperately need this kind of family here on earth and know the longing I have for “family” here on earth can only be ultimately fulfilled in heaven. Come quickly Lord Jesus!