The idea of family is a complicated one. Some families are exactly what they’re supposed to be, reflecting what God intended for our relationships here on earth. Other families are the opposite, they’re not always easy to be a part of. But the structure of having dependable people around us, relationships with equal amounts of give and take, is a God-given one. Whether we find that in our blood relatives, or in a chosen family made up of friends, we need a small, close selection of others around us to count on. That’s why diving into our church family is so important. Whatever our home situation looks like, we can depend on our church to be our family. Psalm 133:1 reads: ‘How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity!’ (NIV). Obviously, like any family, our churches aren’t always full of unity, but they should always be full of love. They give us a place to build something that matters, and to pass on our own unique gifts and knowledge. Psalm 145:4 reminds us to ‘let each generation tell its children of [God’s] mighty acts; let them proclaim [His] power’ (NLT). As well as providing us with a support system of people who care for us, our churches give us a chance to fulfil that instruction. We have somewhere that we can take the promises that God has given to us and pass them on. The promise that Peter’s referring to in today’s title verse is the promise of us receiving the Holy Spirit. That is the most important gift that we could ever share with those around us.

What Now?

If you have a church that you feel at home in, reach out to someone there today and ask if there’s anything you can do for them. If not, look into churches in your local area and pick one to try this weekend.