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Lately I've been watching a new TV show on ABC called "Find My Family". The show's intent
is to reconnect family members, parents to children, siblings to siblings who have been
separated for many years because of adoption or other circumstances. Every time I sit down
to watch this show I find myself emotionally drawn to the individual's heartfelt desire
to find a family member. I find myself many times holding back the tears as I watch the
end of the show when family members embrace each other for the first time. There is no
anger. There is no bitterness. There is forgiveness. There is crying and hugs and expressions of
deep remorse… "Please forgive me". "I have always loved you". "I had to do this so you
can have a good life". The reunited family members are just glad to be connected again.
Watching these stories got me thinking about the importance of family and reconnecting
to a missing relative. During this holiday season, many families will be getting together—reconnecting
with parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and other family members.
Many will use this time to put forth an effort to connect to a distant family member. After
the gifts are exchanged, the last morsel of food eaten and the good-byes said—you realize
there was a distant family member who did not show up again. You know you sent him an
invitation like every other year. This was the one individual you personally wanted to
reconnect with, but he did not show up.
What about the guest of honor? Most people assume that Jesus Christ is present at their
celebration of His supposed birthday.
Lying on your end table, or maybe squeezed in a bookcase or hidden in a drawer is an
explanation of why this one hoped for family member is not present during your Christmas
celebrations. Maybe it's time to open His life story— the Bible—and find out why
He has not come. Once you begin to understand the real story of Jesus Christ then you will
understand how He is finding His family. Then you can rejoice in connecting with a missing
brother.
For GN Magazine, I'm Aaron Booth.