Dear Disciple,
“My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”
Luke 8:21
I want to offer you a simple but beautiful reminder today: you are a part of the community of God’s beloved children. Jesus, God’s only begotten Son, is pleased to call you His brother or sister! This is not true about everyone; He said that those who hear God’s word and put it into practice are His family. Submission to Father is a fundamental prerequisite to becoming a part of His family.
You and I are privileged to be considered siblings of Messiah, the chosen and anointed King. Consider this though: He is glad to have us!
“Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.” Hebrews 2:11
Surely this is one of the wonders of the Christmas reality: the One who was in nature God (Philippians 2:6) chose to participate in our human nature, becoming like us, that we might participate in the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4) and become like Him.
As you live out the day that your Father has given you today, meditate on the wonderful truth that the living Lord of all the cosmos is delighted to be in intimate relationship with you. He is not ashamed to call you His brother or sister. Do not be ashamed to call Him your Master. Stand for Him as you interact with people today – family, friends, co-workers – knowing that He stands with you. He has welcomed you gladly into the eternal family; welcome Him into your daily relationships.
Hear your Father’s words: His commands, His promises, and His purpose. Obey Him in all that you hear Him say. Trust His heart as your Father and know that He only calls you to do what is good. Of course, you’ll always hear the voices that swirl around you every day in the world, but as a child of the Most High, you can choose to hear His above them all. You know that His is the voice of One who loves you and is committed to your very best. His is the voice of the One who is building a kingdom for you and is pleased to give it to you (Luke 12:32).
Represent our family well today, Disciple. I will give my all to represent it well, too. As we do that together, we’ll bring glory to our Father and our oldest Brother. What more could we want?
Overjoyed to be in the eternal family with you,
Ryan
