Finding Family: How God Connects Us in Unexpected WaysSample

Introduction: The Family You Choose

Who do you consider members of your family unit? Maybe they’re exclusively people you’re related to by blood or marriage. But more likely, your family is comprised of a mix of relatives and friends. Beth, for example, isn’t actually related to at least half the people she considers family.

In the overseas missions community where Beth grew up, the kids referred to the adults as “Mr.” or “Miss” only at school; everywhere else they used the more familiar titles of “uncle” and “aunt.” Their lives were so intertwined that they knew each other much more deeply than people typically do even in most small towns. They were in each other’s homes and at each other’s tables constantly, sharing holidays, birthdays, lazy afternoons and spontaneous game nights. It wasn’t always pretty, but they knew they belonged to each other.

Not only did they grow close to the people who shared their daily rhythms, they also recognized those relationships as God’s sweet provision in a situation that could have been extremely lonely.

From the Garden of Eden on, God created us to live together as families to provide care, support and connection for one another. Sometimes families are bound together by genetics or legal documents. Other times, they’re brought together in unexpected ways.

Consider Moses and Jethro, the priest of Midian. The Midianites faced extreme hardship under Egyptian rule. But when the Prince of Egypt fled the only life he had ever known, Jethro didn’t turn him away—he still welcomed Moses with open arms. Their unexpected relationship was filled with mutual love and respect, and the Bible tells us that: “Moses listened to his father-in-law’s advice and followed his suggestions” (Ex. 18:24, NLT).

Like Moses and Jethro, some of the most beautiful relationships in the Bible are ones where God drew unlikely people together. Over the next few days, you’ll discover how to model these biblical relationships to love others well—whether you’re related by blood or brought together by circumstance.

Things to Ponder:

• Who do you consider part of your family that’s not a relative? 
• How have these relationships helped you through difficult moments? 
• What are some other unlikely relationships in the Bible?