Monday, January 16, 2012

God Brings Good From Bad

But now, O Israel, the LORD who created you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.” -- Isaiah 43:1

Who is your family? Are you one of those fortunate people with many siblings, parents who are still together and many, many aunts, uncles and cousins? Or are you an only child with few family members?

Each of us came from somewhere. We have a mother and father. We may or may not have other siblings or other living relatives. Sometimes we have family we’d rather not claim and other times we long for a family to call our very own.

Did you know that Jesus had a family here on earth? I’m not just talking about Mary and Joseph. The Bible tells us He had brothers and sisters. Yes. They were half-siblings but they were family just the same.

(I do realize as I write this that some of you may not agree that Jesus had siblings. Some faiths maintain that Mary remained a virgin her entire life. I don’t believe that’s what the Bible tells us but I also respect your point of view.)

Can you imagine finding out that the man who played with you when you were children, who ate beside you, who maybe even slept on the mat next to yours, was the Messiah? They didn’t realize that. They tried to reign Him in. They believed He was out of His mind. They mocked Him.

Yet, Jesus’ brother James went on to write the book of James. He became a believer. I guess it’s hard not to when you’re staring at the resurrected Lord. What a shock! This man James thought was out of His mind, was actually the One sent to save us all.

The Old Testament tells the story of Joseph. He came from a large family. His brothers didn’t think too highly of him either. They were so jealous that they sold him into slavery. It worked out okay. God has a knack for turning the ugly into good. Joseph later became the second highest official in Egypt and, when a famine lingered on, he took care of the brothers who rejected him.

Sometimes siblings are close and always seem to get along and see the best in one another. But that’s not always the case. It wasn’t that way for Jesus and it wasn’t that way for Joseph. But time -- and God -- changed their views.

We rarely get to choose our families. Most of us are born where we remain, with all the pain and stories that entails. If we’re fortunate, time softens the rejection and sibling rivalry and replaces it with a new appreciation for family. And if we’re unfortunate, time merely widens the gap to the point of destruction.

God heals old wounds. God builds bridges over mounds of destruction. God’s claims us as His own. We are God’s children. So don’t be afraid to trust Him with the joys and sorrows of your birth family. Let Him heal the hurts. Let Him wash away the anger and the pain. Let Him renew bonds you thought broken. Let God create a bridge between a past that can’t be undone and a present filled with possibilities.