Lighting Up the Family: The Parents God Chose for His Son

By Natalia Lima-Silva 

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“Then the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.”—Luke 1:30–31 (NKJV)

How would you describe your family? Jesus had a family. He was the first child of Mary and Joseph, and He had siblings. Just like God chose Jesus’ earthly family, He chose YOU to be part of YOUR family! Isn’t that amazing? Your home may look a little different. For instance, you may be being raised by only one parent, your grandparents, or maybe you are adopted. Being part of a family means having someone who cares, protects, and loves you unconditionally. 

God not only chose your family, but He also chose every little detail about you—your skin color, your eyes, and your hair type. In Psalm 139:13–14, King David praises God for how marvelously He formed you while you were in your mother’s tummy. He made you perfect just the way you are, created with a purpose that only you can fulfill. 

Our almighty and powerful God created you and gave you a family to belong to. This is also true of children birthed by one mom but raised by a different family. It reminds us of how God also adopts us as His children once we accept Jesus as our Savior. Through Jesus, we are adopted into the family of God. 

Keep in mind that no family is perfect; we all make mistakes. Mary and Joseph made mistakes, too. They lost Jesus when He was a boy for three days (Luke 2:41–52). 

Sometimes, it can be frustrating to be part of our family, especially when we don’t get things our way. The good news is that our heavenly Father is perfect, and He chose the right family for you. So, when you find yourself upset with someone in your family, ask Jesus to fill your heart with love, grace, and forgiveness. Pray for them and, most importantly, be grateful for the family God has given you. God makes no mistakes! He has great plans for you and your family! 

LET THE LIGHT IN

Make a family tree and talk about your family story!