The Fortune of Family

By Edd Sterchi       One of the most valuable things that God has given us is the concept of the family. Think about it – before God brought forth the societal governmental system, He gave the family. Before God established His church on the earth, He consecrated the family.     After creating the heavens and the earth, God placed a family there (Gen. 1:27-28; 2:21-25). After God cleansed the earth through the global flood, He began anew with a family (Gen. 6:17-18.). It is through a family that God gave His promise of a Savior and through whom all families on earth would be blessed (Gen. 12:1-5).     The family as God would have it is the moral structure of any successful society. The family is the golden thread that binds a particular group of people to their past, present, and future. The family is where hurts are best healed, victories are best shared, and forgiveness is easiest displayed. The family is the place where love is most at home. Without a doubt, God knew what He was doing when He created the family.     When Paul through inspiration wanted to show Christ’s love for the church and her relationship to Him, he did in family type language (Eph. 5:22-33). And after that, Paul naturally transitioned into a discussion of parents and children and their responsibilities to one another as a family (Eph. 6:1-4).     After looking at all of this Biblical information, we can only come to one conclusion: family is important. Why else would God have connected such vital aspects of His will to the family? Because the family (following the will of God) is the core unit of success and happiness.     Knowing this, it behooves each of us to make our family relationships the best that they can be. We each need to do our part to make our families better and stronger. Only good things will come from this effort.     One last thing – regardless of our earthly family situation, we can be a part of the best family on earth, which is the church. Members of the church are “members of the household of God” (Eph. 2:19), and are a part of “the whole family in heaven and earth” (Eph. 3:14-15). Are you a part of God’s family?

- Edd Sterchi preaches for the Broadway Church of Christ in Campbellsville, KY. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.broadwaychurchofchrist.net/