How Jesus Redefined "Family"
07/21/10 06:32 Filed in: Family
No matter what becomes of us in life, it all begins and ends with family. But of all the relationships we form on our spiritual journey, none is more important than the one we share with our brother, Jesus.
I just returned from a family wedding, celebrated by people from all across the country – relatives from Minnesota, Florida, Colorado, Kansas and New York. The one refrain repeated over and over again was, "I wish we lived closer." But it wasn't meant to be. We all had to leave behind our families and friends to make our own way in the world. The good news is we're never more than a phone call, an e-mail or an Instant Message away from our loved ones. In fact there were two emails from my relatives waiting for me by the time I got home from the wedding.
Like us, Jesus had to leave home and family behind. Fittingly, His public ministry began with a miracle at a wedding feast in Cana, but His work soon took Him far afield. Along the way, He had to form new relationships and make new friends, disciples who shared His beliefs, His hopes and His dreams. They became part of His extended family. But He never forgot His first family. In fact, one of Jesus’ last statements, as He hung on the cross, was ‘Woman, behold thy son . . . disciple, behold, thy mother!’ (John 19: 26, 27)
No matter what becomes of us in life, it all begins and ends with family.
But of all the relationships we form on our spiritual journey, none is more important than the one we share with our brother, Jesus. And the best news of all is, we need never say of Him, "I wish we lived closer." We don't even need a computer to send Him and Instant Message or Tweet.
Why not take a few moments now to share with Him your hopes and dreams. Then ask yourself if there is someone in your family who’d appreciate hearing from you today.
Like us, Jesus had to leave home and family behind. Fittingly, His public ministry began with a miracle at a wedding feast in Cana, but His work soon took Him far afield. Along the way, He had to form new relationships and make new friends, disciples who shared His beliefs, His hopes and His dreams. They became part of His extended family. But He never forgot His first family. In fact, one of Jesus’ last statements, as He hung on the cross, was ‘Woman, behold thy son . . . disciple, behold, thy mother!’ (John 19: 26, 27)
No matter what becomes of us in life, it all begins and ends with family.
But of all the relationships we form on our spiritual journey, none is more important than the one we share with our brother, Jesus. And the best news of all is, we need never say of Him, "I wish we lived closer." We don't even need a computer to send Him and Instant Message or Tweet.
Why not take a few moments now to share with Him your hopes and dreams. Then ask yourself if there is someone in your family who’d appreciate hearing from you today.
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