Family Trees

      I remember several years ago that I got a call from a stranger who had been doing research on my family tree.  They informed me that I could purchase a book with the descendents from the Freeland family and also a coat of arms.  Now, everyone wants to have a "coat of arms."  There also those companies now that will trace your DNA to see what country you are from.  They had also stated . that there was a large group of them down in another state.   Oh, and of course, there was a nominal charge for all of this. information.   Most people are interested in finding their "roots."  Family trees and genealogies are very important these days.  One of my relatives has gone to great lengths to duplicate our family tree on what looks like a large window shade.  Everyone's name is on the shade and you can trace your particular family back for several hundred years.  But, there is another family tree that is much more important.  It is important that you are a son or daughter of someone on earth, but it is more important that you are a member of the family of God.  Romans 8:16-17 says, "The Spirit Himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him."   

     We are all born physically into a family.  Most of us can trace our family back to at least a couple of generations.  There was, however, that moment when we became "born again" or "born from above."  At that moment, we also became a part of another family, the family of God.  We are assured by the Holy Spirit that we are a member of that family just as it says in the above verses of Scripture.  We know that we are a part of the family of God just as much as we know that we are a part of a physical family on this earth.  So, rejoice today that you are a part of God's family.  As Romans 8:17 says, you are now one who is a "joint-heir" with Christ.  Wow!  What an inheritance that is going to be.  Praise God today for His goodness in making us a part of His family.  It may be important to some people where they are from, but for me, it is more important to know where you are going.