Every child wants to grow up in the perfect family. He wants to have the perfect mom and the perfect dad and the perfect brothers and sisters. Some people think the All-American family—the family that has a mom and a dad and smart, athletic kids, great jobs, and a beautiful home--is the perfect family. But they are wrong. Let me tell you a story about the perfect family.
Once upon a time…or maybe I should say, once before time, there was a perfect family. There were three persons in this family and they loved each other very much. We know them today as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—or the Trinity. They existed from all eternity and this is what they were like:
They loved each other with the deepest most intimate love you could ever imagine—in fact, you cannot imagine it. They enjoyed and delighted in each other all the time. They were completely self-less — radically other-centered. They did not need anything or anyone else to make them supremely happy. They had uninterrupted fellowship with each other so they never ever had to say good-bye, not even to go to work. They did everything together. They never wanted to be alone. They never needed to be alone.
Long, long ago, they decided to share what they had. God created people, not because he needed them, but because he wanted to bring others into his perfect family. Adam and Eve were made in the image of God, capable of loving God and each other with a completely self-sacrificing love. They loved to serve each other and were not the least bit selfish. The Bible says they were naked but that doesn’t mean just “missing clothes”. They were naked in their souls; they were completely transparent and did not keep any secrets from each other. There was nothing to hide.
Think about that. The reason God made us was so that we could be part of a perfect family. That is why every person who ever lived has longed for the perfect family. Every person who ever lived has longed to be loved, to be included, to be significant, to be part of a family that lasts forever without interruption—with no good-byes and no death.
Well, we all know what happened to Adam and Eve. They lost their perfect relationship with God when they rebelled against him, and since that time no one has ever had a perfect relationship again.
Nobody knew how to have a good relationship, and nobody could fix it. But God sent Jesus to show us. He was the perfect human being with the perfect relationships. He showed us the Father and sent us the Holy Spirit so we could experience what that perfect family must be like. He died so that we could be restored to fellowship with the Trinity. Now nothing can separate us from our forever family.
Do you know why Jesus did this? Grace. Outrageous, scandalous grace! Because of his grace, we experience the steadfast love of the Father and the fellowship and comfort of the Holy Spirit. If you go to a good church, your pastor probably gives a benediction at the end of the service that might go something like this: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” (II Corinthians 13:14). I hope you are paying attention to this benediction because it means that you are part of this perfect forever family. It means you are included and you are significant and you are loved beyond measure. Because of God’s grace we never have to be excluded or unloved or insignificant again.
That is why we sing
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise him all creatures here below
Praise him above ye heavenly hosts
Praise FATHER, SON and HOLY GHOST
Next time you sing this song, think about your perfect family—the Holy Trinity. You were made for them! Enjoy them forever.
Our crazy "almost perfect" family
Alice Katy Sadie
Sweet Girls
The whole crazy bunch
Fun times!
Grady boy
LOL
Krissy
Cousins!
Krissy
Meagan
Papa's harem (reading Sadie's card)
Photo bomber Katy
