The holidays are a complicated time when it comes to family. I don’t have to tell you that Thanksgiving and Christmas usually bring along with them a challenging mix of relational joy, obligation, warmth, and pain. Besides all the gifts under the tree, sometimes we get the unwanted gift of family drama or the resuscitation of painful memories.
And yet, one of the central tasks of the church is to reconcile and redeem relationships and to cultivate a Family of God. We are God’s children (Rom. 8:14) and we now belong to God’s household (Eph. 2:19). That means we forge family bonds with our brothers and sisters in Christ as we walk the path of obedience to our Father together. The church is a place where you can experience grace-filled, reconciled, redemptive family relationships, no matter how you’ve been hurt in the past.
So, here’s my challenge to you this Christmas: when you’re faced with the complicated (and sometimes painful) dynamics of family, let it be an inspiration to press deeper into the redemptive family of our church. Don’t run from relational brokenness; come share your burdens with your church family who can practice the gospel of reconciliation and the love of Christ in your life.