Two weeks of travels and interactions with God’s family in various places has reminded me of how special it is to be “part of the family.” We have worshiped and prayed with brothers and sisters from about 20 states. We have experienced worship in different styles–we have listened to capable expositors of God’s word that minister in out-of-the-way places that most people have never heard of.
God’s family is a large, diverse body striving to live out the redemptive message of Jesus in today’s world. God’s family lives out the message of God taking on flesh so that we might partake of the divine nature and be changed. As God’s message lives within us and is lived out through us, the world has access to Jesus. God’s family lives in a covenant with God that motivates consistent living in worship, fellowship, ministry, and proclamation. This covenant, sealed by blood, directs our lives.
When we add the great family of God that exists around the world, both in places we are aware of through our mission efforts, and also in places we do not know, we stand in awe at the wisdom of God. Indeed, the church’s very existence declares the wisdom of God.