Each Member Has Its Role!

The beginning of Spring brings moments of refreshment, thoughts of warmer weather, and getting together with family and friends. Due to the pandemic, we were limited in visiting relatives and friends. The most safe and healthy way to see love ones was via video conferencing. During a video conference with family, a request was given for one of the family members to sing a song. She mentioned that what came to mind was the song, “This is the Day that the Lord has Made; We will Rejoice and be Glad in It”. While she sung and others joined in, I thought about other occasions I attended in person where we song this song or recited this Bible scripture. Today, as I read my daily devotional, that gives 31 days of scriptures to mediate on and comments from the author, I was surprised to see the exact verse - Psalm 118:24. There are no coincidence with God and I believe He was confirming some thoughts and writings He wanted me to share. Also, the author of this "31 Day Devotional", mentioned that the days of joy and gladness are, i.e.: " the day of our own personal conversion, the day set aside each week to worship…, the day the Lord returns to claim His Bride, the Church". I would like to add the day when we can get together with family and friends.

Last year our “family get to togethers” were exceedingly rare. We wanted everyone to stay safe and healthy. There were concerns for the elderly and those who were dealing with certain health ailments. Therefore, Zoom Meetings and phone calls were the norm. However, the hugs and kisses were missed from those near and dear to our hearts. Each member of the family has his or her purpose. There are the relatives who sing, dance, write, preach, teach, those who held you tight, those who told jokes, and the many other characteristics we saw in the family. Also, everyone has his or her divine purpose, talent, and ability in the family. God created him or her in a way to give Him glory. The way I give glory to God is not necessarily the way you might give glory to God and vice versa. However, we are glorifying God in the special way He created us. I believe God is not so concerned with "How" we glorify Him. He just wants us to glorify Him. (This is my personal opinion).

According to 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 12 Just as the human body is one, though it has many parts that together form one body, so too is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we all were immersed and mingled into one single body. And no matter our status—whether we are Jews or non-Jews, oppressed or free—we are all privileged to drink deeply of the same Holy Spirit. 14 In fact, the human body is not one single part, but rather many parts mingled into one. 15 So if the foot were to say, “Since I’m not a hand, I’m not a part of the body,” it’s forgetting that it is still a vital part of the body. 16 And if the ear were to say, “Since I’m not an eye, I’m not really a part of the body,” it’s forgetting that it is still an important part of the body. 17 Think of it this way. If the whole body were just an eyeball, how could it hear sounds? And if the whole body were just an ear, how could it smell different fragrances? 18 But God has carefully designed each member and placed it in the body to function as he desires. 19 A diversity is required, for if the body consisted of one single part, there wouldn’t be a body at all! 20 So now we see that there are many differing parts and functions, but one body.

Every body member praises God in its own way. The lifting up or waving of hands, the tapping or dancing of feet, a shout of praise or a song of thanks, or the preaching or teaching of the word are some of the ways we glorify God. To emphasize verse 18, “But God has carefully designed each member and placed it in the body to function as he desires”. I believe that God has also designed each family member to function as he desires in the family unit. There is a reason why you were chosen to be the father or mother of your child(ren). There is a reason why you are the youngest, not the oldest. There is a reason why you are a male and not a female. There is a reason why God designed individuals in the family with certain characteristics and traits. When you dislike how God created someone, you disapprove of God’s plan.

In fact, God has been revealing to me some subject matters related to family. There are many ideologies describing the family. We have the church family, our job family, the community family, our immediate family, the extended family, and the list can go on and on. However, the God-given definition of family begins with a dad, mom, and their children. This is commonly known as the nuclear family. Also, this family unit extends to grandparents, uncles, aunts, nieces. nephews, and cousins. The family union by birth, blood, or covenant.

Prior to the pandemic, concerns for the family were growing cold. Everyone was in their own world and moving through life without any concern about the individuals in their family. Also, instead of honoring one another, dishonor was becoming more apparent. This dishonor manifested in various ways and uncaring for the hearts or feelings of others was one of the ways. There was no empathy. There might be those who disagree, but the pandemic brought out the best in some people. It was a time to care or be concern for the sick and shut in. It brought Matthew 40 to another level:

“Then the King will say to those on His right hand, Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.” The beginning of this year we have experience some heartaches and pains with family members being sick and some leaving this earthly realm. However, praise the Lord for His love and goodness. As a family of faith, we have heard of the many testimonies of God’s mercies, grace, and healing. Although, there were some tragedies, God is bringing healing and has brought us out of many difficult circumstances. He is worthy of all praise!

God created family and he wants us to respect, not some but all our family members. In 1 Peter 2:17, it tells us, “Respect everyone, and love the family of believers. Fear God and respect the king”. Respect everyone is referring to, not only the church family, but your immediate family (brothers, sisters, cousins, uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, grands, and great-grands and those by marriage). If God has blessed you to have great-great grands, thank and praise Him. Family is precious and we should respect and cherish our families.

God is taking families to a new level. That is why Satan is fighting so hard against the context, structure, and definition of this unit call the family. He knows his days are limited; however, he is using anything he can to try to prevent the true meaning of what we know as family.

In Luke 11:17 (NLV), it states, “…Every nation divided into groups that fight each other will be destroyed. Every family divided into groups that fight each other will not stand.” (I bolded this sentence to emphasize). The devil wants division. He orchestrates lies and uses some individuals to bring destruction in the nation, communities, church, and families. He is the master puppeteer, and he uses puppets (people) to execute his plans. He is pulling the strings. Please understand that division is of the devil and know the methods he uses to cause strife. (John 10:10 tells us, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy…”). We need to stop allowing the devil to pull our strings. The only one who should be leading and guiding us is God’s Holy Spirit.

Everyone is a work in progress and everyone’s role is different in the kingdom of God. As mentioned, it is God who chooses by His spirit what gifting He gives to the body. Let the members of the body function the way God intended them to function. It is not about you. It is about how God wants to deliver the message. How you see it is not how God sees it. Take a moment and ask the Father how He sees things and you might be surprised that you might have, as they say, “stinking thinking”. Maybe a lot of confusion and disagreement could be minimized, if we become doers of the word of God. It is a new year and a new day. It is time to walk in the Spirit of God and stop gratifying the flesh (Galatians 5). There are no coincidences with God. Again, I believe when Psalm 118:24 was sung and this chapter and verse matched today’s devotional word, God was confirming that this is the day to put our differences aside and rejoice and be glad.

Lastly, at another Family Zoom Meeting, the presenter spoke about “Timing”. One of the biblical verses shared was Ecclesiastes 3. I consider this chapter as another confirmation.. As it mentions, a time to heal, a time to build up, a time to laugh, a time to dance, a time to love, and a time for peace. God had confirmed and now I am sharing what I believe God wants families to know…. it is time to forgive, and it is time to mend family relationships. Seasons Change – Spring 2021

2 years ago#time to forgive ##time to heal ##seasons change