Psalm 16:3 – As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.

THEME OF THE DAY. THE FAMILY OF GOD. The Bible offers various metaphors describing the church of the Lord Jesus. There is the body – “And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:22-23). Another one is that of Christ’s bride – “For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:23-27). A third one is that of God’s family – “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:19).

Each of these metaphors have commonalities among them. The primary one is that of life; a living organism and relationship – a body is alive, a marriage is between two living people, and a family doesn’t consist of mannequins. If we were to evaluate the health of a body, marriage, and family, there are many things we may consider in evaluating them. But perhaps the most important starting point to determine the vibrancy and well-being in a body, a marriage and a family is found in today’s scripture – delight or desire in the health of each. Let’s test this . . . what does it take to eat right, exercise properly, and ensure proper rest to keep our bodies healthy? It begins with desire or delight to achieve these things. And a marriage? It is the same. Healthy marriages don’t just happen. It takes work and “want to”. It is easy to have a marriage that is intact physically of two people living together, but not operating in all three areas of wholeness; physical, spiritual, and emotional. To prevent that begins with desire to prevent that! What about a family? The same as a marriage and taking care of our bodies. The “want to”, the desire must be in place and acted upon for the family to know God-honoring wholeness.

Now let’s apply this to the family of God; the church and particularly, the local church we call home. Do we see the church as a living body, a marriage, and a family? If so, how healthy are our churches? And let’s make it a little more personal. What if the answer to my question, “How healthy are our churches?” rested squarely on our shoulders as individuals? What would they look like? Vibrant and healthy perfuming our communities and one another with the sweet fragrance of Christ? The health of any church is a personal responsibility of every individual Christian associated with it. Certainly, leadership sets the vision and example, but the strength and health of our churches will be determined by the commitment of its individual members. And that healthy environment and loving witness begins with desire; a desire coming from David in today’s scripture – a desire to be with God’s family to be God’s family and build a God-honoring legacy and impact in our communities and lives.

So, how is it with us? Are we able to say with David, “God’s people are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight”? If we are going to have Christ-centered, Christ-loving churches as He desires, then to get there begins with our desire to match the desire of Him who is the head of His Body, the husband of His Bride, and the Elder Brother in God’s family.

PRAYER: “Lord, help me to never take it for granted my brothers and sisters You have given me in Your church.”

QUOTE: “Families love one another; invest in one another, and as it is in our physical family, so it is in our spiritual.”