By Dr. Bill Bennett, Crystal Cathedral Pastor
"Think how much the Father loves us. He loves us so much that He lets us be called His children...." -1 John 3:1, CEV
In Christ's church, we are his disciples today. We are, in essence, Christ's family. We are more than family; we are forever family. We will be with each other and Christ for eternity. And he's telling us that we should love one another.
He also asks us to demonstrate that love to everyone who comes into our lives and through the church doors. We must purposely choose to love. It is a conscious act of our will through the encouragement of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
The apostle Paul wrote to the Christians of the early church: "May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones" (1 Thessalonians 3:12-13).
These words apply to us today just as they did to the early Christians so many years ago. In Christ's love, we are family.
Prayer: Father God, I have experienced the deepest kind of belonging by being part of your family. Thank you for accepting me and taking me in as your beloved child. Help me to love others as you have loved me. Amen.
Reflection: Think about what it means to belong to Christ. What has helped you emotionally experience what it means to be a part of his family as a child of God?
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