Wedding Gathering

Theme: Wedding Gathering

Verse: “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful” (Romans 12:10-13)

My daughter is getting married this weekend, and it’s an exciting time for her and for our entire family. As I write this, relatives are arriving in the Tampa area as we prepare to celebrate this special occasion together.

Family matters. It gives us a shared connection and foundation as we move through life. My immediate family is relatively small—one sister and two cousins. Each of us has two children, with the boys outnumbering the girls 5-3 (my wife and I contributed two of the girls). My wife’s side of the family is about the same size.

I’ve always enjoyed family gatherings, whether they are centered around big celebrations like weddings or simply spending time together. But our earthly families are not the only ones we belong to. As believers, we are also members of God’s family.

As part of that family, there are certain qualities that unite us:

Love for God and Others: God does not require us to like everyone, but He does call us to love everyone. At the very least, that means praying that others will come to know God and find salvation through His Son, Jesus.

1 John 4:7-8 – “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. E Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.”

Humility and Dependence on Grace: Our salvation is not something we earn through good works. It is a gift, given freely through God’s grace to those who believe in His Son, Jesus.

Ephesians 2:8-9 – “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Desire for Community: Christians often gather on Sunday mornings, but fellowship can happen anywhere—a classroom, a coffee shop (where I’m writing this), or even on a running trail at 5:00 a.m., (where I started my day today). Sometimes we encounter God in the most unexpected places.

Hebrews 10:24-25 – “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.”

As we grow in our faith, certain qualities begin to develop in our lives. Scripture calls these the Fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I’ll admit that some of these are still a work in progress for me, but they give us direction and purpose as we continue our journey.

So, as my earthly family grows a little this weekend, I’m reminded that I’m also part of a much larger family in Christ—one that encourages, supports, and celebrates life together.

Have a GREAT week and enjoy your FAMILY!