READ: GENESIS 12:1-3; JOHN 1:1-13; GALATIANS 4:4-6

For many people, the word family evokes ideas like safety, love, acceptance, and happiness. But for others, family evokes ideas like anxiety, strife, fear, and rejection. God established the family as the first human social structure, starting with the first marriage between the first man and woman as part of the “very good” world He created; He intended their family to multiply and flourish as they ruled the world on His behalf (Genesis 1:26-31; 2:18-25).

That all changed, however, when the humans rejected God and rebelled against Him. Everything in God’s creation began to break down into evil, chaos, and corruption. Not only did their sin fracture their relationship with God, but it also fractured their relationships with each other. Where the family had once been a place of love and trust, it was now fractured by selfishness and distrust. These deep-seated sinful propensities affect every family today.

But God did not give up on our now greatly-extended human family, although He would have been justified in doing so. Instead, He chose one very fractured and dysfunctional family—the family of Abraham—through whom He promised to restore His blessings to all the families of the earth (Genesis 12:1-3). Despite this family’s long history of being continually unfaithful to Him, God was still faithful to keep His promise by sending His own Son, Jesus, to be born into the family of Abraham. Jesus is fully human, yet He never sinned. He lived as the perfect representative of all humans (Romans 5:17). Through His death for our sins and His resurrection from the dead, Jesus made the way for all people—all members of the human family—to be reconciled to God. He wants to make us part of His eternal family. In Jesus there is hope and healing available for every person and for every fractured family. • Kayla Esguerra

• What comes to mind when you think of the word family? Why?

• What are some practical ways you could demonstrate God’s loving and faithful heart to your family this week, such as praying for them, serving them, or encouraging them?

• If you’ve experienced a deep hurt from someone in your family, who are trusted adults in your life who can help you set up healthy boundaries?

• Because of Jesus’s death and resurrection, everyone who puts their trust in Jesus is adopted into God’s family! If you want to learn more about this good news, see our "Know Jesus" page. And if you want to dig deeper, read Romans 4:16; 5:12-21; Galatians 3:7, 29; Ephesians 1:5; 2:19-22.

See how great a love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God! 1 John 3:1 (WEB)