Did you know hidden in God’s word like a diamond waiting to be discovered is a beautiful promise of family? It’s a promise that he would put the lonely in families. If God says it, then you can trust it to happen. That is the truth that I’ve been holding onto for years. As I look at how God has fulfilled his Promise of Family in my life, I know that this promise rings true for all of us.
Promise of Family
The first time I read this promise in Psalm 68:6, I held onto it like it was my lifeline. At that time, my husband and I were in the midst of discerning which congregation God wanted us to work with. You see God called us away from the church family we grew up with and asked us to go somewhere where else. We couldn’t understand it at the time, but now see that God was paving the way for other things He would call us to later.
After eight long months, we found a family of believers that took us in as their own. We came to them as visitors and they treated us like family long before we ever placed membership.
I saw God’s promise of putting us in a family unfold.
I remember being asked if they could throw us a baby shower when they found out we were pregnant with baby #4. This was only after visiting for a handful of months. After responding “thanks but we aren’t members,” we were met with a question that makes me cry thinking about it even now.
“Can we love on you anyway?”
How could I refuse allowing them to love on our family? They truly showered us with love then and even after our move.
The Promise Answered Again!
About four years later, once again we were being called to leave. My husband had finally been offered not one but two jobs after spending a year taking care of his grandparents. Praying for discernment over which job my husband should take, was hard because I had to put my emotions aside. I did not want to move far away. On our way home from the potential job that was the farthest away from our “home,” my husband asked my thoughts on where God was leading us. I couldn’t help but burst out into tears as I answered him. I knew God was calling us to the farthest location away from all our family.
And then that same promise came floating back to my heart:
“God sets the lonely in families,”
A year ago I was in tears thinking about moving, and now I’m praising God for how He has kept his promise once again. We may not have any family by blood in this town but we have a spiritual family. And they are a blessing to my heart.
Here’s the cool part though…many of our spiritual family from back “home” did what they could to connect us to people they knew in our new town. One friend connected us with her family and they have been a big blessing literally from day one of our move. Others encouraged us to visit certain congregations or connected us through Facebook with their friends here. God has blessed us with amazing neighbors and blossoming friendships near and far. The more I spend time in different places, the more I realize what God means by family. It’s a family where there is always room for more! I am so thankful for those who have come into my life up to this point and look forward to those I have yet to meet.
Christ’s church is a Family No Matter Where You Are
Christ’s church was designed to be a family of believers no matter where you are on this planet. We are all one big family! I love this so much. Thanks to the congregation we attended before leaving Oklahoma, we had a wonderful opportunity to bring this understanding home to our children’s heart.
A couple months after delivering our 5th child in Texas, we received a package from the Oklahoma congregation. The kids were sooooo excited to open it and guessing what it was. Then one kid piped up and said, “Why are they sending us a gift?” They spent several minutes coming up with answers. Some were hilarious, but some hit the nail on the head:
They still love us.
They still consider us family!
Yes, they do consider us family and we still consider them family, just like we still consider the congregation we grew up in family. No matter where you live on this earth, if you are a follower of Christ, we are family!
I share this because I’m sure I am not the only one who has felt lonely in my circumstance. God is always with us and praise God for Him and his faithfulness! He is my closest friend and always will be. But I praise Him for recognizing our need for physical families too. I hope this encourages your heart today if you are feeling lonely to reach out to those around you. And even if you are not feeling lonely, pray about who you can reach out to that might be praying for family right now.
Bless you and create a great day, my sisters!
I am a mother of 5 crazy, homeschooling children ages 10 & under, wife to an amazing man, and daughter of the King of the Universe!I enjoy reading, making my kids laugh, cooking, all things natural, learning to play guitar and dusting off my piano skills.One day I hope to run again, but until then I’m learning patience.
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What a great post encouraging those that might not have this, that God has good things coming in the future!
I completely relate! My husband and I had a beautiful church family and then God opened a door for us to move. Our move happened about 3 years ago. We have exhausted almost every church, searching for our “family”. We have often times felt as though we have settled where we are now. Even though we are attending almost every Sunday, we don’t quite feel like we are home. Your post touched my heart and now I know how to specifically pray! Thank you!
This post was so touching. I instantly thought of Jesus on the cross and He told his mother to take the disciple as her son and the disciple to take his mother, and the bible says from that point forward Mary lived with the disciple. God knows we were not designed to be alone and it’s wonderful how He will place us in the hearts of strangers who soon become family.