One-minute read.
And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.
Matthew 19:29-30
Following Jesus, despite the conflicts it creates in our families, will not leave us orphaned. Within God’s family, He gives us people who will love us as their children, connected by the blood of Jesus. During my younger years, my Sunday school teacher loved me as one of her own, introducing me to the Savior. As an adult, when I struggled to find my way back to God, an older woman in our church took me under her wing and loved me like her granddaughter, helping me discover Christ again. One pastor, in particular, loved me like his daughter, knowing God had called my Earthly father home.
Not only do we find eternal rewards as we submit our lives to God, but we also find a family bond with His children. A friend sent me a message thanking me for encouraging her on her journey. The Lord gives us family on Earth to help us on the journey, moving us forward when life knocks us down and lifting us when we fall to our knees. The Creator designed us not only for eternal rewards but also for eternal family as we come alongside each other and fill in the gaps our Earthly family leaves in our lives.
Jesus gives us eternal life and a family to help us live to the fullest as we follow Him. The first will become last, and the last first, but we all end up together in the loving arms of our Savior. Living for God will cause friction in some relationships. But take heart: the Lord gives us a new family when we give Him our lives.
Application:
God gives us eternal rewards and an eternal family.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for giving us eternal life through Jesus and people to fill in the gaps of what we don’t have. Please help us continue to seek You daily, following Your commands as we strive to live our lives for Jesus. Let us serve and honor You in all we do.
IJNIP. Amen
