Jesus' Family Album December 23 Devotional
by David Joynt on December 23, 2024
New? February 8 Devotional
February 08, 2025
1 CORINTHIANS 9:5 | 5 Do we not have the right to be accompanied by a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?
ACTS 1:14 | 14 All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.
Jesus’ brothers and sisters were part of his biological family by Providence. We don’t choose our biological families, but as the 20th century existentialists insisted, we are “thrown into” life’s ongoing story. When we are able we must choose how we will relate to our families, deciding whether we’ll nurture and support them or not invest. We can’t alter our biological relationships but we must claim them to make them real and human and rich.
In our verses today we see that Jesus’ family made a second momentous choice—they joined his spiritual and forever family. They appear in Acts as part of the nascent church. Paul names them as examples in first Corinthians. God’s spiritual family transcends any natural one. Human families are intended as vehicles to help us move into the supernatural one, the communion of saints. This can be encouraged by example, prayer, and nature, but it happens by deliberate choice. His siblings’ worst fears were realized when Jesus was crucified. With the Resurrection their grief turned to joy.
How do your biological family and kingdom family connect?
Gracious God,
Bless every family that wants to encourage faith in you. Help your children find their ultimate home.
Amen.
