Family
I come from a family of eight children. Although, there are people who come from larger families I think that you could consider that a large family. In fact, I think our little family of four children is considered a pretty large family today. But, as I read the scriptures and try to live them out in my life I think that my understanding and our idea of family is just to small.
When Jesus teaches us to pray he begins by saying that we should pray "Our Father." I think Jesus wants us to expand our understanding of family. "Our" Father. I think that he wants understand our relationship to one another as family. That we are all an "our." That when we pray Jesus says we should not Just pray for ourselves. When we pray we should pray for all of us and we should address God as Father. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ. We all have the same father.
To me, this has to mean more than we just call each other brother and sister. It must effect the way that we understand family and the way that we relate and care for one another. It means that we family members everywhere. All over the world.
I think Jesus wants us to understand that right now we have family members that are having their homes foreclosed on and family members that own multiple homes. Family members who are in prison and family members who are free. Family members dieing of AIDS and Malaria in Africa and family members that offer a cure. Family members who are starving and family members with more food than they can eat. Family members who are homeless and family members living in mansions. We are all one big family.
What would happen? What could happen if we really became what we pray? What might change about our world and the way that we relate to, and care for one another, if we broadened our understanding of family to be as big as Jesus wants it to be. What if we begin to see each other as family. What if we saw everyone as a brother or sister to love and care for.
I love my family. I have been blessed with a family that loves me and cares for me. Jesus wants to broaden that understanding. He wants us to see family as bigger. He teaches us that when we pray to understand that we are an "our" and we are part of a family that is bigger than our immediate family. A family bigger than our extended family. We are all children of the same Father. So "when you pray," Jesus says, "pray Our Father who art in Heaven."
Love today.
In Christ's love and mine,
Doug
When Jesus teaches us to pray he begins by saying that we should pray "Our Father." I think Jesus wants us to expand our understanding of family. "Our" Father. I think that he wants understand our relationship to one another as family. That we are all an "our." That when we pray Jesus says we should not Just pray for ourselves. When we pray we should pray for all of us and we should address God as Father. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ. We all have the same father.
To me, this has to mean more than we just call each other brother and sister. It must effect the way that we understand family and the way that we relate and care for one another. It means that we family members everywhere. All over the world.
I think Jesus wants us to understand that right now we have family members that are having their homes foreclosed on and family members that own multiple homes. Family members who are in prison and family members who are free. Family members dieing of AIDS and Malaria in Africa and family members that offer a cure. Family members who are starving and family members with more food than they can eat. Family members who are homeless and family members living in mansions. We are all one big family.
What would happen? What could happen if we really became what we pray? What might change about our world and the way that we relate to, and care for one another, if we broadened our understanding of family to be as big as Jesus wants it to be. What if we begin to see each other as family. What if we saw everyone as a brother or sister to love and care for.
I love my family. I have been blessed with a family that loves me and cares for me. Jesus wants to broaden that understanding. He wants us to see family as bigger. He teaches us that when we pray to understand that we are an "our" and we are part of a family that is bigger than our immediate family. A family bigger than our extended family. We are all children of the same Father. So "when you pray," Jesus says, "pray Our Father who art in Heaven."
Love today.
In Christ's love and mine,
Doug
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