Family, A Precious Gift

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God . . . – 1 John 3:1-2.

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ . . . – Romans 8:16-17.

It doesn’t matter where a person is in the world, or even what their station in life is, for the most part family will always be uppermost in their thoughts. Whether it is sons and daughters to parents or husbands and wives to each other and their children, most people look upon family as a very special and precious thing.

However, if you are a Christian, someone who has surrendered their lives and their will to the will of Christ Jesus as one led by His Holy Spirit, have you considered just how immeasurably precious you are to our Heavenly Father?

The Apostle John in his first Epistle or letter, uses the phrases and titles of family members throughout his letter, but I love the beginning of what has been designated as chapter 3. In the New King James Version it speaks of the love the Father has bestowed upon us and in the New International Version it uses the word lavished. Now think of this for a moment, as it’s easy to just skim by it.

The Father’s love is not just a haphazard casual type of love, it is something that He has purposefully granted, bestowed and lavished upon us! He considers us, based on His love for us something most wonderfully precious. When John writes, if you consider how he is writing, he almost writes as if he is utterly amazed at the prospect of God’s love.