Restored!Sample

You Have a Family

In today’s scripture readings we learn that restoration takes place in the context of family. Family is God’s idea and spiritual family (the church) is God’s appointed environment for personal restoration. When God saves us, he adopts us as his sons and daughters and then he places us in his family where we can experience healing, growth, and restoration.

Now, this is kind of an interesting process because life in the family of God isn’t always easy. Just as with our natural families, there can be some challenges, bumps and scrapes along the way. But even the challenges we encounter will serve God’s purposes of restoration. Christian growth doesn’t take place in an incubator; it happens in relationship with other former sinners whom God is restoring.

In the family of God we learn how to truly love. We learn to serve, forgive, have patience, and give grace. We learn how to exercise our God-given gifts to bless others. We learn about teamwork. We worship together, learn together and pray for one another. In the end, the family of God helps us become more like Jesus and that makes God’s family awesome!

PRAYER

Jesus, thank you for my church family. I love it. Thank you for my pastors who serve the church, lead us in worship, and teach us your word. Thank you for every member of my spiritual family. Help me to continue to grow in the family you have placed me in. Help me to love every person in my church. Teach me to serve, give, bless, encourage, pray – and to do it all with heart-felt joy!