God's word in today's world

Family benefits


In most cases, being born into a family has advantages. I say most cases because unfortunately some families simply tear one another down. 

Normally a family provides a safe space where you’re taught how to navigate the world. It often provides you with a springboard to jump into life. 

Some families equip their children with training and give them a useful kick start for their own lives with a car, maybe a house or even a farm or with a share in the business. 

As long as they’re not deprived of a learning opportunity and Sheik Ahmed Zaki Yamani’s (1930) saying doesn’t come true. He said: “My grandfather rode a camel. My father drove a car. I flew in airplanes. My son will drive a car, and my grandson will ride a camel.” 

While I didn’t have the privilege of a family who could fund my education, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work my way through my studies. It taught me so much about life and people. It shaped me as the person I am today and equipped me for what I do today. 

Being part of God’s family also has huge benefits. We also have a springboard to jump from into the world, much lighter than the rest, because our burden of sin load stays behind. 

6-7If we claim that we experience a shared life with him and continue to stumble around in the dark, we’re obviously lying through our teeth—we’re not living what we claim. But if we walk in the light, God himself being the light, we also experience a shared life with one another, as the sacrificed blood of Jesus, God’s Son, purges all our sin.  

The great advantage of belonging to the God family is that we share in the success of our Brother’s earthly life. What He accomplished here is automatically passed on to us. 

Jesus’ blood that was sacrificed makes this possible for us. When Jesus’ blood flowed on the cross, because He had to be killed like a lamb, it paid for the sins we all commit. 

To explain this, I pour red colouring into a glass of water. Carefully, I then pour a diluted bleach solution, drop by drop, into the glass of red water. And as I pour the “water” from the jug into the glass, the colour slowly disappears, until the water is completely clear and looks like normal water. 

Sin is washed out of our lives just like that and we can let go of it. We are no longer punished for the wrong actions we do. Thank goodness for that. That is one big worry that is taken out of our lives. 

There are many more benefits to being part of the God family, but let that one soak in first. Let it determine our way of life. Let us use the advantage every day, so we can walk lightly through life. Don’t forget to tell the world about this benefit. They need it so badly. 

Scripture
1 John 1:5-10 

Reflection
What advantages were there in your earthly family?
What do you do with the benefit of being part of God’s family?
Do people around you know about the benefit? 

Prayer
Lord, thank you for being part of the God family. Thanks for all the benefits. Let me share it with everyone I live with. Amen. 

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