Back when we first started reading together, and emailing our findings, we’d always look for a promise to claim and a sin to avoid. Today, I claim this promise:

“For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.” (3:35)

I’m reminded of Jesus’ final speech to His disciples at the Last Supper. He calls them friends, because they know “the plan”.

I love the companionship of Jesus. I love His selection of 12 guys He was really going to focus on. Travel buddies. Being on a journey with people really bonds you, and the tightest bond is family.

The disciples were not somehow better than everyone else, but it must have been a thrill to be chosen. I love how in each gospel account you find their humanity blaring off the pages. They are so relatable. They weren’t cool because they “got the parable when nobody else did”. No, Jesus had to explain everything in private. They weren’t giants in the faith right out of the gate. No, they were tossed by a storm yelling, “don’t you care that we’re all going to die???” I think I’ve yelled that at the LORD before, in an airplane.

So how do we get in on this inside-scoop-inner-circle-family business?

First off, it must be revealed. You’ve got to hear it, and the Holy Spirit has to help you understand it. There are four soils, or four heart conditions when it comes to accepting the truth. There are a million sermons about this and I don’t know what makes you a certain kind of soil. I think I’ve been all four in different seasons of life.

Second, it has to be accepted. There must be a switch. This takes humbly, sometimes brokenness. Whoa, like well tilled soil?

Romans 12:2 talks about renewing your mind in order to know what the will of God is. Whenever I’ve entered a season of renewing my mind, it usually involves turning off the radio, filtering out noisy, catchy garbage and focusing on truth.

What is the will of God? It’s not so hidden. It’s good, acceptable and perfect, we’ve just got to be listening.

-Bethany