Dear Ones,

Hope you are keeping cool. Today Al has Men’s Group and later we have Bible study. I’m sorry if you are not getting the devotions daily as we are still having some problems with the Web site.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

We have two adopted Korean grandsons and we deeply love them just as much as we do our other grandkids. We especially enjoyed 10 days this summer of seeing them daily when they were vacationing from North Carolina. We loved having meals with them, playing games, going out to Pizza Ranch and just spending time together. Family is important to us and each one is unique and special and loved.

Jesus had an earthly family but when he was in the midst of a crowd, his friends came to rescue Him as “they suspected He was getting carried away with Himself” (Message translation from Mark 3:21) His mother and brothers also came and sent a message to Him but He responded by saying, “Obedience is thicker than blood. The person who obeys God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

I read what Mark Roberts from Fuller Seminary had to say for when we come to know the Lord and seek to do His will, we become adopted sons and daughters. We are chosen members of God’s family and have many brothers and sisters. It is a choice we make to serve God and share our lives with those in the family of God. Roberts says it is even more about God’s choice of us and as we respond we share together the fullness of the Christian life. How good are we at doing that? Are we so busy and focused on our natural family that we have no time for those in our Christian family? Do we take into consideration their needs?

We may be a single-parent family, a blended family, an extended family but if we want to love and obey the Lord and do His will, then we belong to the family of God. We are surrounded by our spiritual siblings and all experience His grace and share His love together. What a blessing!

Challenge for today: Ask the Lord to show you if you are neglecting your spiritual siblings and to help you love them and Him in deeper ways.