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February 2, 2025
Welcome to the Family
By Marci Gibbens
I am an only child. When people learn this fact, I typically get one of two very different reactions: pity or jealousy. And then, there are the assumptions about my character – I must be spoiled or introverted – and though the latter is true, I am always slightly offended by the stereotypes. Thus, this only child fact is not something I often advertise.
Even though I grew up in a small family of three – a loving mother, a devoted father, and me – I never felt lonely. Sure, I often wished for a sister or a brother to share secrets with, stir up a bit of trouble with, and maybe even squabble with, but I was part of several communities that felt like family, the primary one being my church. In addition to worshiping and learning about God, I looked forward to going to church because of the people. I connected with friends my own age, cared for younger kids in the nursery, and grew spiritually under the discipleship of my Sunday school teachers and choir directors.
As I reflect on what made the church a family for me then as a child and for me now as an adult, the word I return to most often is vulnerability. When we consistently spend time with people, we tend to speak more freely and share our hopes, our dreams, our fears – the deepest parts of ourselves. We do not feel judged in these moments; we feel empathy. This sense of openness and trust is why many say that the people they feel most comfortable with are their family. God desires this familial unity for the church.
Brad emphasized in his sermon that the church family is united under the common purpose of carrying out God’s will. God uses his family, the church, however messy and imperfect they may be as individuals and even as a group, to show the world how devotion, patience, grace, and forgiveness can result in what they most crave: love, belonging, and a sense of purpose.
When we unite as a church and invest in the lives of others, those outside the church will want what we have: to be a part of God’s family. What can we do to invite them in?
You can watch the February 2 message HERE.
[Monday, February 3]
Acts 4:23-31, Ezekiel 36:26-28
Ezekiel prophesied (foretold) that God would deliver the Israelites, return them to the land he had promised, and provide the Holy Spirit to make their hearts receptive to God and guide their actions as they followed him. In Acts, we see the Holy Spirit in action, giving Peter, John, and the other believers the courage to preach the word of God without fear. Is your heart stony and stubborn, or tender and responsive toward God? What fears do you have as you follow Jesus? This week, pray that the Holy Spirit will move in you and give you the courage to put Jesus first and follow him well.
[Tuesday, February 4]
John 14:23-29
Where do you turn when trouble comes your way? The world is a difficult place to navigate for believers. Still, the power of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit assures us that we will never be left to face those challenges alone. Though Jesus was only on earth for a short time, he did not abandon his followers when he returned to heaven. Instead, he gave us peace through the Holy Spirit, our advocate, teacher, and comforter. We can turn to the Holy Spirit as we faithfully await Jesus’ promised return. And through the Holy Spirit, we can do more than wait idly. How can you serve the Lord and testify to “God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand” (Philippians 4:7) while we hopefully wait for his return?
[Wednesday, February 5]
Acts 1:8, Galatians 5:22
In this passage, we learn the fruits of the Spirit, which are traits that demonstrate that we follow Jesus. Humans, even believers, are not naturally bent toward practicing these attributes or living by Jesus’ example. Sometimes, it is tough to love others when they are rude to us, to find joy amid pain, to embrace peace when our lives are chaotic, to practice patience when we are in a hurry, to show kindness to a stranger, to exhibit goodness when those around us are making bad choices, to implement faithfulness when our friends or spouses are disloyal, to exude gentleness when we are screaming inside, and to exercise self-control when temptations arise. Yet, we are called to be God’s witnesses and to bear that fruit daily. Without the power of the Holy Spirit, we would succumb to our evil instincts. We can’t do it alone! And we weren’t meant to, even though the world may tell us we can. In what areas of your life do you most need the Holy Spirit’s help to practice the fruit of the Spirit?
[Thursday, February 6]
Romans 8:26-30
Prayer was designed for us to communicate with God, seek forgiveness, ask for help, and praise him. Often, though, we may struggle to find the right words to express ourselves. Knowing our human weaknesses, God anticipated our needs and gave us the Holy Spirit to intercede on our behalf. In this way, God’s will works through us; not only does he know what we need, but why, how, and when we need it. So, the next time you know you need to pray but are not confident in what to say, pray that the Holy Spirit will bring your requests before the throne of God.
[Friday, February 7]
Ephesians 4:30-32
Reflect on a time when the actions or words of a friend or loved one brought you great sadness. In addition to that sadness, did you feel betrayed or angry? When people make decisions that hurt us, we may wonder what we did to deserve pain from someone we love and respect. The cause of all wrongdoing is sin, and our sinful nature can often cloud our decision-making. When we live apart from God’s word and choose to give in to sin, we “bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit,” the gift he sent to help us. Instead, we can honor God’s gift and use the Holy Spirit to help us resist evil behavior and treat others kindly. After all, God demonstrated the ultimate act of kindness by sending his son to die on the cross for our sins, and we should strive to emulate him.
{extra journey resources}
CLICK HERE to visit The Bible Project site and explore their super simple, super informative Bible videos (and other resources). You can also download The Bible Project App HERE.
CLICK HERE to get the Read Scripture App, from our friends at The Bible Project.
CLICK HERE for more on how to use the observe-reflect-apply approach to getting the most out of your Bible reading.
The Bible App Get the free YouVersion Bible for your phone, tablet, or computer. Experience the Bible anywhere, with options to highlight, save notes, and share what you are reading with others.
The Bible App For Kids YouVersion partnered with OneHope to develop the Bible App for Kids, designing it specifically to engage children with Bible stories on an age-appropriate level. The Bible App for Kids is a free app for Android, Apple, and Kindle devices, available in over 60 languages.
Bible Gateway Provides advanced Bible searching capabilities, which allow readers to find passages in scripture based on keywords, phrases, or scripture reference.
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