|
Growing up in a family with two younger
brothers, no sisters and a succession of four male dogs (who at
the time were of the same family status as my brothers), I consider
myself to be uniquely qualified to talk on brother love. As an
older sibling my treatmean of the two younger boys was, well let's
say it left a lot to be desired.
But despite the many years of torture
and torment inflicted by myself with great relish on them, we
have grown up as great friends. I am eternally grateful because
both brothers are now a lot bigger and tougher than I am! So when
I became a Christian, I found it quite disconcerting when my very
well meaing Counsellor encouraged me to see my new relationship
with Jesus, as him being my big brother. "O no, am I in trouble
now!" I thought.
Fortunately I have found the Lord to
be nothing like the big brother I was. The second half of Hebrews
2:11 declares that Jesus "is not ashamed to call them his
brothers and sisters". That's us, what an honour to be part
of God's family. But what does it mean to be a brother or sister
to Jesus?
Is it just that we are born into God's
family? Yes! But it has to be more than that.
It is to meet with our brother Jesus?
Yes! But it also needs to be more than that.
|
At the risk of sounding like I'm writing
a script for a third rate channel 10 soapie, the best way I can
describe my relationship with Jesus is from an episode in my family
life, here it is.
By the time I was 27 I was fairly confident
that I knew pretty much everything about my family. My mum had
a bad back, my dad was balding, and my anorexically thin brother
was now nearly 110kgs. But nothing could prepare me for the bombshell
mum dropped on my one Sunday morning. "Steve you have an
older brother", yes that's right, I had an unknown brother
who was adopted out before I was born. Mum then went on to tell
me that he was coming to visit the following Saturday. The initial
meeting went rather smoothly. Much of the conversation centred
on those missing years and our family resemblances.
Over the proceeding years my relationship
with my new brother developed into one of a good friend. We look
very similar, have many of the same passions, (all things fast),
we even like the same foods, but there is one thing lacking in
my relationship with him that I share with my other two brothers.
It's the shared life experiences, some good, some bad, but living
together through these times whether positive or negative has
created a force in our lives called "brotherly love".
And this friends, is what I believe
makes our relationship with Jesus strong and deep. Our shared
experiences with him. It's not enough just to be born of the same
family, it's not enough to have just met him; we must live and
share all our lives with him.
Let us settle for nothing less than
intimacy with him!
|
