“All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had” (Acts 4:32 ESV).
We attended a wedding last month. The young man who was married has been known to our family for 20 years. He was born at the same hospital as our children, on the same day as our oldest daughter, Kristin, and was one of two babies born that day there. Funny thing is that we didn’t know his parents at that time. It wasn’t until several years later and our journey into a relationship with Jesus that we would meet this family. We started talking to them by way of school and field trips. That grew into talking after church services. Then, eventually it evolved when my husband was asked to join the Board of Education at our children’s school, where the mom served on a board as well.
About two years later, they invited us to attend a Bible study in their home. This was way out of our comfort zone, being new Christians, but we thought highly of them and gave it a chance. Four other couples joined us and we started a Bible study that lasted for several years. Our group changed dynamics many times but we were always there together—the two couples.
The relationship grew stronger through fellowship, prayer, reading the Bible, and attending worship services together. We started vacationing with the family and spending weekends on double dates or family outings. The bond in our relationship was strong. It wasn’t unusual for one of their four children to be on our couch on any given Saturday morning, or our children on theirs.
In the midst of this wedding, we felt like the family chose to situate themselves at a table by us. While the rest of their extended family was off in another area talking, this family (including the groom and bride) at various moments of the night sat around our table. When they called the mom and son up to dance, we got to witness the tears of joy afterwards. What an honor and privilege to know this family and love them so much. God gave us this relationship.
Why do I share all of this? Max Lucado has a quote that spoke to me today. “Let God give you what your family doesn’t.” I’m not saying that this family doesn’t love their God-given biological family, and we most certainly love ours. But God called us together, in HIS name, to share life together. He calls us to pray together, to mourn together, to laugh together, and to share everything with our brothers and sisters in Christ. I know that God brought our two families together and He has blessed us more than words can describe. Our family is bonded in Christ and it is such a powerful bond of love.
Can you think of a person(s) that is new to the faith in your congregation? Do you sense God drawing them close to you? Will you lift them up in prayer today, asking God how He may want to use this relationship to strengthen the bond of fellowship in the family of God?
Photo (c) Prixel Creative/Lightstock
