For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:26

OH NO, Not A Family Get Together!
we’ve all had them, those get-togethers where we know that a particular family member is going to be there, the one who frustrates us to no end or who is crude and/or rude and the last thing we want is to spend a whole afternoon or maybe even a whole day with them!

Certainly we have those people in our lives. But, I pray that we would recognize that their need for a Savior is far more important than our few hours of frustration (In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:16). .

We are called to be patient and compassionate (Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12). Our ability to be patient and compassionate can glorify our Heavenly Father and in the process draw those same people, who we have no desire to be around, into a personal relationship with our Savior. Aren’t their eternal lives worth a few hours of irritation?

What if the person is in our congregation, or maybe in a church we used to go to or just a fellow believer that we know, in our work place, our bowling team, our sewing club, wherever? Maybe they seem like they think they know everything, maybe they don’t ever seem to pitch in, maybe they are rude and interrupt or maybe they have hurt our feelings. Worse yet, what if they believe something different than we do (HORRORS!). I’m not talking about people who believe another gospel, I mean people who may be pre-tribulation people or they may believe in speaking in tongues or that women should be submissive to their husbands (just so you know, I believe in some of these things too ; ). We are still family (So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith)! Jesus Christ is still their Savior and ours and whose to say that our interpretation is right?! Won’t we be sorry for the time we spent being self righteous instead of unifying and advancing the gospel, if we get to glory and find out we were the ones who were wrong.

Nothing should divide the body of Christ!

Psalm 133:1 says “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity”. God said that we should be unified and that it would be good and pleasant.

1 Corinthians 12:13 says ” For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink”. We are unified in one Spirit, whether we want to be or not, so stop fighting it.

And, Romans 15:5 says – “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had.” We are to have the same attitude toward each other as our Savior had toward us. That is a mind of love, forgiveness, understanding and patience.

Those who do not know Jesus Christ are not going to be drawn to a Savior whose people can’t get along.

Our Savior, on the night He was betrayed, prayed for His Disciples and for us. He, with all that He was going through stopped to lift up prayers for US! And part of what He said (in John 17:23) was “I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” He was speaking here of unity between His Father, us and Himself. But, the same could be said for unity in the body…”that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

If we are the members of the body of Christ, our unity regardless of denomination (or non-denomination ;), backgrounds, or interpretations, should not divide us. The glue that holds us together is the love of Christ and there is no greater bond, stop fighting it and love one another!

How gracious is our God that He doesn’t think, about us, the way we do others. He not only over looks our flaws and is willing to have a personal relationship with us, but look at the lengths to which He has gone, not to spend an afternoon or whole day with us, but to spend all of eternity together with us.  And lets face it, we have our quirks too.  I don’t think I would want to spend eternity with me, lol (But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8). But, God does and He wants to spend it with you. He doesn’t look at us and say “Oh NO, not a family get together.” He says I want to make a home with you/us (For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” John 14:23).

Let’s love like Jesus and glorify our Father in Heaven!

I pray that this morning we would lift praises to our Father in Heaven whose love toward us is beyond our comprehension. I pray that we would repent for the petty things that we have allowed to come between us and family members, co-workers, neighbors and brothers and sisters in Christ. I pray that we would fall on our faces and ask for forgiveness for the pride, self righteousness, bitterness, arrogance and other negative behaviors and feelings that have driven us to discord with anyone. I pray that we would have hearts of forgiveness and that we would remember that we are to forgive as we have been forgiven. I pray that, because of the depth of God’s love and forgiveness, for the way that He protects and guides us and for the honor of being called a son or daughter of God, we would thank our Abba Father and express the depth of our love for Him. I also pray that through our humble, forgiving Spirits He would be glorified to those around us and that they would one day be won over to a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior – Jesus Christ.

Our Heavenly Father longingly awaits the day when Jesus Christ returns and we will all be untied with Him in Heaven for one big Family Get Together.

If you do not know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior and you struggle with being unified with people. Perhaps because of insecurities, old wounds, anger issues, what ever the reason, Jesus wants to heal that issue. He wants you, first, to be unified to Him and our Heavenly Father, through the Holy Spirit and next He wants you to be unified with the body of Christ. I pray that you would go to our Life Preserver page and pray the prayer that is outlined there. Forgiveness, peace, strength and a love, beyond your imagination awaits.

God and I would both like you to be at that next family get together in Heaven. Please pray that prayer, and when you do, reach out to me at admin@Forgiven-N-Loved.com and let me know, so that I can be in prayer for you.

Luv Ya!