Today’s Scripture
So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along
with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.
Ephesians 2:19
Big Idea
Everyone wants and needs a place to belong in this world.
Today’s Thought
God wants you to join a gang.
OK, those aren’t quite the right words. But God knows that you’re searching for a place to belong. It’s part of the way you’re wired. You want a place to belong — and you need it. You experience security when you have connection with others. You feel safer when you have friends who accept you and love you and value you.
That’s why some teenagers turn to gangs. They don’t feel secure at home, they don’t belong to a group of friends who are headed in the right direction, and others have rejected them for one reason or another.
Back in Genesis 3, Adam and Eve suddenly felt insecure after eating the fruit God had told them to avoid. Their insecurity arose because they were vulnerable — they realized they were naked, and they felt ashamed. They were embarrassed by the “real” Adam and Eve.
Sometimes we’re ashamed of the “real” us, too. We’re convinced our friends would reject us if they knew our deepest secrets. We’re certain our parents would be angry if they knew our darkest struggles. We want to be authentic followers of Christ, but we’re ashamed of our imperfections — the evidence that we’re “works in progress.”
Today’s Scripture comes from a letter the Apostle Paul wrote to Christians in the city of Ephesus, part of modern-day Turkey. When he uses the word “Gentiles,” he basically meant anyone who wasn’t Jewish — so pretty much, most of us! If you’ve decided to follow Jesus, then you’re now part of God’s family. You are unconditionally accepted.
And when you think about it, if you’re part of God’s family, why would you ever need to join a gang to find that sense of acceptance and security?
Ephesians 2:19
Big Idea
Everyone wants and needs a place to belong in this world.
Today’s Thought
God wants you to join a gang.
OK, those aren’t quite the right words. But God knows that you’re searching for a place to belong. It’s part of the way you’re wired. You want a place to belong — and you need it. You experience security when you have connection with others. You feel safer when you have friends who accept you and love you and value you.
That’s why some teenagers turn to gangs. They don’t feel secure at home, they don’t belong to a group of friends who are headed in the right direction, and others have rejected them for one reason or another.
Back in Genesis 3, Adam and Eve suddenly felt insecure after eating the fruit God had told them to avoid. Their insecurity arose because they were vulnerable — they realized they were naked, and they felt ashamed. They were embarrassed by the “real” Adam and Eve.
Sometimes we’re ashamed of the “real” us, too. We’re convinced our friends would reject us if they knew our deepest secrets. We’re certain our parents would be angry if they knew our darkest struggles. We want to be authentic followers of Christ, but we’re ashamed of our imperfections — the evidence that we’re “works in progress.”
Today’s Scripture comes from a letter the Apostle Paul wrote to Christians in the city of Ephesus, part of modern-day Turkey. When he uses the word “Gentiles,” he basically meant anyone who wasn’t Jewish — so pretty much, most of us! If you’ve decided to follow Jesus, then you’re now part of God’s family. You are unconditionally accepted.
And when you think about it, if you’re part of God’s family, why would you ever need to join a gang to find that sense of acceptance and security?
Prayer
God, thanks for loving me and caring about me, even when I wasn’t following
You. Thanks for loving me so much that You sent Jesus to restore my
relationship with You. Thanks for making me part of the family. Today, give me
an opportunity to reach out to someone else and help that person belong
and feel more secure. Amen. 
That really makes since!-Elizabeth Calhoun
ReplyDeleteThe past few days, i've noticed a girl at lunch that i always see sitting by herself. It always pops into my mind to go talk to her. But i've never done it. This really encouraged me to take a stand and do it. What's the worst that could happen? Make a new friend? hahaha, i really love these r12 things Claude!
ReplyDeleteit's been tough for me to follow these everyday because of my schedule in the mornings and cause of football and homework, but i am working on making time for God in my life and i believe that lessons like this are helping - Ryan
ReplyDeleteThese are really helping. :D -Jasmin
ReplyDeleteReally encouraging :) --Tori Darden
ReplyDeleteI really like this,so true we all want to be accepted - gabby :)
ReplyDelete