Proverbs 8:31 And how happy I was with the world he
created; how I rejoiced with the human family!
The old saying is that you don't know what you
got till it’s gone. We are only given an allotted amount of time on God’s green
Earth, here in this specific time, in this specific place, within our specific biological
family of blood relatives, so we need to make the most of our God-given kindred
relationships before they are gone and we missed the natural experience of “Family
Love”. I have discovered that I love my family and those family reunions that
we have; finding that "blood is thicker than water" means a
foundational love identity and bond in the ties "my family". They
are all mine and that means something deep and solid. We can pick many things,
but God picks the family that we are born into and maybe that's the
glue. Sure, I have to distance myself socially from some worldly family
members because of their willfully lifestyle that contradicts Christian values
and are hostile to them on a argumentive level, but they is still my family, so
you never stop loving them. 1 Peter
4:8 says, " Above
all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a
multitude of sins." Be more Christ-like. Family love never changes
and if they were in trouble, I shall help, but not to be used as an
"enabler". We don't accept or ignore sin, just as God
doesn't, but there is grace. We must remember that "except by the grace of
God, there walk I", but we live there no longer, as a child of God,
we walk in the Spirit following Christ ... tripping, but getting back up
holding the Lord hand.
Proverbs 7:4 “Love wisdom like a sister; make insight a beloved member of your
family.”
Relationships, including family relationships,
can be complicated (by different personalities, desires, devotion,
direction, or the lack thereof), yet family love (the Greek word -Storge) can
be one of the deepest feeling next to the love of God (Agape) and the
love of a spouse (Eros). I love my grandparents, parents, uncles and aunts,
brothers, sisters and cousins, nephews and nieces ... my God-given family. We seem to lose
sight of this in the busyness of our daily life routines and the distractions of
life, if we don't keep our hearts right (the mind will follow). But, who do we
long for and call and write and go see, and cling to for deep comfort when the
house (metaphorically) falls (small or big problems) but that foundation -
Agape, Eros, Storge, then Philia love? Love is the foundation. Care is the
natural outflow of love. Action is the natural outflow of care. As I wrote
above, If we seem to lose sight of real true love (God, spouse, family,
and friends) in the busyness of our daily life routines and the
distractions for life, (its there but not in our mind's eye), we lose the care
(we don’t make the touch), because our immediate care is for what is currently
in front of us (eyes & mind), and we lose the action of seeing,
calling, writing, etc. - touching. The old saying is: “the proof is in the
pudding” – translated means “the care is in the action (the touch) that
demonstrates the love”. I see older family members now, honoring their roots in
the love of their family with their own personal reunions before they go to be
with the Lord, the heavenly family of God, and it touches my heart. They demonstrate their love of family by
taking the action of driving and visiting family because they truly care. They
realize that they have more days behind the cart than are in front of their
horse (so to speak) and nobody is promised tomorrow, so love while you can.
They love the family all the time, even when they is not visiting, because (storge)
family love is the foundation ... its always there. The care for family is
there based upon the foundational love of family ... its there too. But “demonstrating”
that love and care touches the family and experienced in action ... seeing family,
hugging family, giving them a kiss, talking to family, doing something with them
or for them, even writing to family (a card, an email, or a letter) ... giving them
love by making the time, taking the time and touching. Can your family see that
you love you them? How? I know that this is deep, but love is deep when it's
right. Spiritual even. But talk is cheap, and I need to work on improving my
love and care of family too, Some family members are more gifted in giving
(Storge) family love, but the rest of us need to learn to love family as God
intended us to and express it more. What on earth are we here for? Don’t
miss the opportunities for (Storge) family love.
Ephesians 1:5 and 2:19b God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by
bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and
it gave him great pleasure. You are
citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.
In Christ, Brian
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