We also like family. As dysfunctional as most of ours are, they provide a system of acceptance, security, companionship, and intimacy. Even when a home is abusive the members are drawn to stable families. We don't like being alone.
God created us to be part of a family. Ever since the garden when God declared that it wasn't good for Adam to be alone, He established family as the best place to satisfy our deepest cravings. Even our relationship with God is more fully appreciated within the context of the family.
The larger context of family is the one of faith; the deep connection that we have as a result of a common faith, baptism, and Spirit. The people of God are members of the same family, the household of God.
As aliens and strangers, on the outside looking in, we longed to be a part of something bigger. Through faith in Jesus we, who were far away from the family, were brought near to God and included into His household.
The result of this inclusion is the blessings of a son, the inheritance of the father, the community of the saints, and the destruction of walls that create isolation. I can go anywhere in the world and meet people of my family and have an immediate bond of faith and communion of the cross.
Being a member of God's household means I have access to the Father, I am a recipient of His gifts, and I have the comfort, seal, and indwelling of His Spirit. There are responsibilities and chores as well, but they are not burdens. Rather, they are acts of love and appreciation for being accepted into God's household. I am thankful for being a member of such an awesome family (Epehsians 2:29)! I'm just saying...
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