TODAY’S VERSE
Ephesians 2:19
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. (ESV)
When my oldest son was nine, I took him to a CAIN concert. He was obsessed with the song “I’m So Blessed,” and you probably know it because it was on the radio every 10 minutes. It’s just so catchy that you can’t help but sing along!
While at this concert, the promoters for World Vision came on the screen and told so many stories about kids around the world who’d been helped because of the generosity of people just like us. If you know me, you know that my passion is Local Outreach. Emphasis on the local. God has given me a specific calling to serve the local church by serving the lost and broken right here in my community.
My son, Owen, accepted a different calling that night. As he listened to the stories and saw the faces of the kids in other countries, he looked over at me with deep concern and conviction and said that he wanted to sponsor a child. I didn’t hesitate to raise my hand. We ended up going home with another member of our family that night: a boy named Seth who lives in Ghana. Seth is extra special because he is Owen’s age and loves all the same things Owen does!
Our family loves writing to Seth and making sure his family has what they need. You would think it’s Christmas in our house when Seth sends a letter! He tells us about going to church, learning about Jesus, and how his family prays for our family.
Even though we live over 5,000 miles away from each other, and we may never meet each other, Owen and Seth are brothers in Christ because they’ve been reconciled by the blood of Jesus.
When we understand our place in God's household, we begin to see people differently. Not as strangers, outsiders, or people who aren't our responsibility, but as people God loves and invites us to love, too. We aren't just called to belong to God's family; we're called to live like family on mission.
Sometimes, outreach looks like taking the gospel to our neighborhood. Other times, it looks like taking the gospel to the nations. Either way, as brothers and sisters in Christ, none of us are exempt from reaching one more person to invite into God’s family.
APPLICATION
Don't let the opportunity of serving God pass you by. Raise your hand. Find one tangible way this week to love and serve someone outside of your normal circle. Look for a need in your local community, explore an opportunity to serve through our church, or consider supporting a mission that reaches people around the world. To learn more, you can visit southland.church/missions.
PRAYER
Father, I love knowing that I have brothers and sisters all around the world who are praising Your name. Help me never to forget to lift them up to You. Show me how I can faithfully serve the people around me, both near and far. In Jesus’ name, amen.