As we mentioned before, God IS family! He is the great Father of all Living, and it is in His core to shelter those who are lost or vulnerable. The heart of God is to provide shelter from the storms around us – both those internal and external.
The family heart is all about sheltering for a time so God-shelter can be multiplied throughout generations. It is our calling as parents. It involves protection and nurturing. It is brought about by hard, intentional work as well as relying upon God’s Spirit to make it happen in our hearts, those of our children, and for those around us.
And He said, “How shall we picture the kingdom of God, or by what parable shall we present it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is smaller than all the seeds that are upon the soil, yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and forms large branches; so that the birds of the air can nest under its shade.” – Mark 4:30-32
To the extent we receive God’s shelter in heartfelt gratefulness and extend this shelter to others, we participate in the Kingdom of heaven. This is the very nature of the Kingdom, and the heart of a family who looks upward, inward, and outward into our world.
It is worth noting that God is more than a mere vague or unidentifiable being, but IS personal – and He can be known as Father (power and authority), Son (friendship with God), and Spirit (companionship within us). This is how He speak shelter into our own souls as well as those we love. When we pray and live to give shelter to our spouses, kids, and grandkids we are partnering with God within our very imperfect world. It is a huge part of our identity in being someone who matters.
Enjoy your deeper dive into shelter!
Dave and Burnadette
Your family shelter conversation