A Child of God

I wonder whether you have ever pondered on, or even noticed, these verses before. They are pretty amazing! They say that God made each of us. Even when our birth was not planned by our two parents; when our birth was totally unwelcome, undesired, or even the result of a violent union, God knew us. He gave us life. For by God’s work on a tiny, living, couple of cells each of us came to exist. From those tiny cells that had come together God fashioned us to form the start of a human life.

And not only did He give us each our lives, but every single one of us has inherited characteristics that we can recognise as family characteristics. I think that’s amazing. I can hardly believe it when I see my children and grandchildren inheriting many of those aptitudes and passions that I have. And the funny thing is that we often see these characteristics coming out in our family members without anyone expecting them to, or teaching anything about them.

I come from a family of five children. My mother was one of nine. I could tell you off pat what are some of our family characteristics. We're people who move quickly. We walk fast. We are a family who are spread out all over the world. We have something single-minded in us. And we have lots of artists.

Those family likenesses give us a certain affinity together. Those qualities that we have inherited enable us to understand each other quite well, and give us affirmation, and a sense of belonging.

As I ponder on this, I think, “Thank You, God, that, not only do You create each of us unique and special, but You also plan for us to be in families where we are designed to belong together, to encourage each other, and to affirm each other, as we share our lives together. Family was Your idea.”

Above all we belong in another family when we know Him, the Church family, spread across the world, and also right here among us. We need to nurture one another in that family.