Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Darren Milam
Wednesday, October 2, 2024

Thinking back to when you were in grade school, and it was time to pick teams for whatever game was about to be played. Did you ever worry about getting picked last? Or a birthday celebration was coming up for one of your classmates, were you going to be invited? The feeling of being left out, or almost forgotten, can be a real concern for some. Depending on the situation, it can be devastating to anyone.

God calls us His children, and we are all a part of the family of God. All? No waiting for an invitation or nervously listening for our name to be called? No – we have already been invited. We are automatically a part of His family.

Take a look at the image. What do you see? Well, most will see a sweet dog, staring up at his master. What’s really going on is, this good boy is asking permission to be “included” on the couch. His head resting on the footrest, longing to be part of the gathering just a few inches away.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

To be in the family of God means to be accepted for who we are: loved, cherished, celebrated, and fully forgiven. We HAVE been invited. We ARE part of the Family. We HAVE been chosen. Praise God for this!

In case anyone is wondering, yes, the fur baby was allowed to join the others on the couch. He, too, was invited.