The Family of God

I came home earlier this week from a long day at the High School. Laura gave me a sheepish little grin as I walked up the stairs. “Guess who called you today?” The grin turned to a smile. She loves when she can pull one over on me and she knew I wasn’t going to guess.

“Hmmmmm, was it Aunt Debby?” I poured a glass of water as Laura shook her head no.

“Well, I guess you had better tell me then.”

Her eyes sparkled, “Dr. R. C. Sproul!”

“Right” I smiled and sipped my water, but her smile only grew brighter.

“No, really! Dr. Sproul called and asked for you.”  She paused when she could see the befuddled look in my eyes. After enjoying the moment she gave that sweet, impish smile that always gives away the rest of the story before it is said. “Well, it was really him and he really did say your name, but . . . it was a recording asking you to join him in a conference call this Thursday evening.” She paused, then added with excitement, “How cool is that?”

And the call did come. Thrusday evening, when I had completely forgotten about the message from earlier this week, I heard Dr. Spoul’s recorded voice saying, “Robert, please stand by as we connect you to our conference that is in progress.” I waited, and then heard Dr. Sproul in the middle of answering a question. I strolled to the living room and handed the phone to Laura. “How would you like to listen to R. C. Sproul?” She simply beamed, “Yeah, sure!”

We put the phone on speaker and sat in the living room together listening as Dr. Sproul answered questions. As I sat there I couldn’t help but think at how gracious God has been to me and our family. Here I was with my daughter enjoying this discussion on theology. It wasn’t so much that it was Dr. Sproul, though I do admire his faithfulness to the sound teaching of scripture, but it was because of my daughter who’s heart has been graciously changed to love Christ and the truth of His word.
3 John 4 “I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth”  I know John was not talking about his own physical children here, but it does apply to our own children as we see them “walking in the truth”.  As God has allowed me to get older, I find myself enjoying more of this spiritual times than ever before. Whether with my own physical children as they grow in grace, or seeing the family of God growing, I find joy.

And this is the thought that I’ve pondered this week; God gives us great joy in being part of His family as we live out the Gospel of grace. I think the part that I’m most growing to appreciate in my home as well as our church is this aspect of family. It’s not in the formality of an organization, but in the vitality of a family that God works in us and through us.
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 (14) For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, (15) from whom every family in
heaven and on earth derives its name, (16( that He would grant you, according to  the riches of His glory, to be  strengthened with power through His Spirit in  the inner man, (17) so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, (18) may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, (19) and to know the love of Christ
which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
( Eph 3:14-19)