Members Of God's Family Are Never Alone

"Today's Devotion" For February 21, 2006

Read: Galatians 3:26-4:7; Psalm 113

MEMBERS OF GOD'S FAMILY ARE NEVER ALONE

"Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household..." (Ephesians 2:19)

How important is your family in your life? If you haven't thought about this for awhile, it might be a good idea to sit down and think about it for a minute. A story in yesterday's newspaper brought that question to mind. Its title is, "After parents' deaths, the face sadness - responsibility." The story introduces us to four children aged 1 to 21 who have just lost their mother and father/stepfather in a head on automobile accident.

The oldest is a young man of 21 years. He has a job and goes to one of the local universities. His next younger sibling is his 19yr. old sister who works part-time and goes to school part-time. They intend to take care of their little sisters (4 and 1 year olds), with the brother looking to gain legal custody of his sisters and keeping the family intact and in their home. It's a daunting task, particularly as they're all still suffering from the shock caused by the tragic deaths of their parents. The older brother and sister are serving as parents and breadwinners to keep their family together; they're also receiving assistance from extended family, neighbors, and friends. One thing is certain – they don’t yet have a clue as to what it’s going to take to provide a home for themselves financially, physically, and emotionally. While the brother says he doesn’t want people to feel sorry for them (read: he doesn’t want charity) one group of people, led by his former soccer coach, has already started a fund to help these siblings make the transition to being on their own.

How would you handle such a situation? Perhaps you have personally experienced such a loss yourself. At any time of life, the death of a parent is difficult. This family, however, is enduring the loss of the oldest three's father four years ago and the loss of their mother and the youngest's father on the same day, in the same incident. Their pain and confusion, frustration and sorrow can't be dismissed. The uncertainty of their future as a family is great.

Such was the case for humanity when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and Sin entered the world. "The wages of Sin is death" St. Paul reminds us (Rom. 6:23), and so by Adam and Eve's disobedience Death, unexpectedly and suddenly, entered the world and separated people from their Father in heaven. While physical death wasn't immediate, spiritual death was - the separation between God and humanity was apparent when Adam and Eve hid from God and then blamed Him, each other, and the serpent for their disobedience. It was as if God had died and there was no hope for His children. What had been a beautiful family relationship was torn apart by the ravages of Sin.

Yet God was not dead. He was, and is, still around to save His children from the power of Sin and the death it brings into the world. In Jesus Christ, our Savior from Sin and the Lord of life, He brings us back from the brink of destruction and, forgiving our sins, gives us new life and new hope in a loving relationship with Him. More than this, He also lifts us up from the despair and sorrow of Sin through the washing of the water and the Word in Holy Baptism and restores us to Himself. He places us into His family - the family of faith in Jesus - so that we aren't left on our own to try to "make it in the world." Through the Body of Christ we receive hope and assurance that we are not forsaken or alone as we await our home in heaven.

St. Paul reminds us that in Christ, we are members of God's household. No matter what happens to us in this world, whether we lose our parents, our siblings, our health, our livelihoods, or anything else that is essential to our lives, we have the sure and certain promise of God that we aren't alone and that He will provide us with everything we need. We are comforted to know that He has given us brothers and sisters in Christ who share their faith, their time, their talents, and their treasures - all gifts from His gracious and bountiful hand - so that when we are in need, spiritually and physically, we are sustained and blessed by "God's household." As members of God's family in Jesus Christ, we take hope, are comforted, and rejoice in the face of adversity and sorrow because that family lifts us up, cares for us, strengthens us, and assures us we're never alone or on our own without what we need to live lives filled with hope and peace.

Prayer: Father, thank You for making me one of Your children in Holy Baptism, washing me clean from my sins and giving me the gift of faith in Jesus. All around me I can see the death and destruction of human beings, both physically and spiritually, because of the power of Sin. To see the horrible results of Sin in the world can bring despair and hopelessness, even to Your children. Yet, as You promise me each day in the power of my Baptism, there is nothing that can separate me from Your love. Thank You for making me a member of Your household, so that I might be uplifted and strengthened by my brothers and sisters in Christ. Thank You for the opportunities You give me to share Your grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness with them, as well as helping them meet their physical needs in their time of trouble, just as they do for me. Father, help me and all my brothers and sisters in Christ - Your household of faith - to love and care for one another in the face of sin and death so that the world might see our love for one another and be led to You. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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--Pastor Boeck

Copyright © 2006 Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.