March 27: Who Is My Mother and Who Are My Brothers?
♫ Music:
Day 23 - Thursday, March 27
Title: Who Is My Mother and Who Are My Brothers?
Scripture #1: Luke 11:27–28 (NKJV)
And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!” But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
Scripture #2: Matthew 12:46–50 (NKJV)
While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. Then one said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.” But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”
Poetry & Poet:
“Like Brothers We Meet”
by George Moses Horton
Dedicated to the Federal and Late Confederate Soldiers
Like heart-loving brothers we meet,
And still the loud thunders of strife,
The blaze of fraternity kindles most sweet,
There’s nothing more pleasing in life.
The black cloud of faction retreats,
The poor is no longer depressed,
See those once discarded resuming their seats,
The lost strangers soon will find rest.
The soldier no longer shall roam,
But soon shall land safely ashore,
Each soon will arrive at his own native home,
And struggle in warfare no more.
The union of brothers is sweet,
Whose wives and children do come,
Their sons and fair daughters with pleasure they greet,
When long absent fathers come home.
They never shall languish again,
Nor discord their union shall break,
When brothers no longer lament and complain,
Hence never each other forsake.
Hang closely together like friends,
By peace killing foes never driven,
The storm of commotion eternally ends,
And earth will soon turn into Heaven.
WHO IS MY MOTHER & WHO ARE MY BROTHERS?
The notion of family, even extended family, is a consistent theme throughout the Bible. Many of the Bible stories we learn as children or teens include the intricate dynamics of family life. From sibling rivalry (Genesis 4) to parental favoritism (Genesis 27 & 37) to the unexpected dedication of a daughter-in-law to her mother-in-law (Ruth 1), all have made their way into Scripture. Even The Ten Commandments takes time to highlight the benefit of honoring your father and mother. Our most sacred text repeatedly makes clear that God created family for purpose and that purpose is accomplished in the twist and turns of familial relations.
The virgin birth of Jesus pushes our understanding of family even further as God, our Heavenly Father, entrusts the womb of an engaged young woman, Mary, to bring his only begotten son into the world. The angel that informs Mary of her unique situation, tells her of a family member, Elizabeth, who is also experiencing a miraculous birth and Mary goes to Elizabeth for comfort and guidance. (Luke 1) Our Savior, Jesus the Christ, grows up in a “traditional family” with mom, dad and siblings, however, he is mindful from an early age of his calling to not simply be a carpenter like his earthly father, Joseph, but to focus on the work of his Heavenly Father (Luke 2).
As Jesus moves further into ministry, his teaching about family takes on new meaning. He places less focus on biological connections and begins to define family by shared belief in God. His references throughout the Gospels including Luke 11:27-28 and Matthew 12:46-50, emphasize his commitment to uniting those who share not only a love for one another but their love for God and the things of God. Our love for God and the things of God are based on choice. It is common these days to hear young people speak of their “chosen family” referencing those who they see as family based on choice as opposed to biology. Indeed, we can call those who have made the choice to accept Christ as their savior and to live for God “His chosen family.”
As we ponder Jesus’ third word from the cross, we recognize that with his last breaths, his definition of family is yet again being demonstrated as he unites Mary and John as mother and son. Their spiritual connection and their faith in God were the basis of Jesus’ utterance and the eternal value of the statement. They would not only be connected on earth but also in heaven. Standing at the graveside of a person that you know you will see again in heaven provides a peace amidst grief that can’t be matched. In the song “These are My Mother & Brothers” the lyrics reference a “heaven’s reunion” that is dependent on “knowing our Lord and doing His will.”
As we travel through this Lenten season and seek to fully grasp the meaning of Jesus’s utterances from the cross, might we (re)commit to evangelizing so that we can embrace new family members that Jesus’ wants us to behold? There is a mother in need of a child and a child in need of a parent, that if we shared the love of God with them, they could become our family here on earth and in heaven too. Let’s commit to beholding a new family with the love of God in this Lenten season.
Prayer:
Lord, with a humble heart, I bow my head in prayer.
I reflect on the value you placed on family in scripture.
Help me to value family as you desire me to.
I pray for my biological family and ask you to bless us and draw us nearer to you.
Help my family to grow in our love for you and each other.
Help us to set aside anything that causes separation from each other and you.
Rejuvenate our love for each other and the tomorrows you have blessed us with.
Lord, with new understanding, help me to open my heart to those who you have placed in my life as family.
Open my ears so that I may hear who you have assigned for me to walk alongside.
Open my eyes that I might see this new family member as you see them.
May the love of God permeate every aspect of these relationships.
Dr. Avis E. Hinkson
Vice President of Student Affairs
Pomona College
Claremont, California
Ordained Minister
LifeWay Church
Rancho Cucamonga, California
For more information about the artwork, music, and poetry selected for this day, we have provided resources under the “About” tab located next to the “Devotional” tab.
About the Art:
The Quintet of the Astonished
Still image from a video installation
Bill Viola
2000
National Gallery of Art
London, England
The Quintet of the Astonished video by Bill Viola shows the unfolding expressions of five actors in such extreme slow motion that every minute detail of their changing facial expressions and movements can be detected. In this piece, Viola explores the cathartic power within grief, personal suffering, and bereavement. Viola’s work often exhibits a painterly quality and The Quintet of the Astonished clearly references his interests in medieval and classical depictions of emotion. According to video curator David Ross, “Bill Viola is that rare artist who employs extraordinary technical mastery in the service of a deeply metaphysical art. Exploring the essential human condition, Viola has long been engaged in the study of time, consciousness and the human spirit. Though not religious in any traditional sense, Viola’s art embraces the idea of art as a path to transcendent experience.”
https://www.lightwork.org/archive/bill-viola/
About the Artist:
Bill Viola (1951–2024) was a contemporary video artist whose artistic expression derived from the image technology found in new media. He has been instrumental in the establishment of video as a vital form of contemporary art and, in doing so, has helped to greatly expand its scope in terms of technology, content, and historical reach. For forty years he created videotapes, architectural video installations, sound environments, electronic music performances, flat-panel video pieces, and works for television broadcast. His work focuses on the ideas behind fundamental central themes of human consciousness and experience—birth, death, love, emotion, and spirituality. Throughout his career he drew meaning and inspiration from his deep interest in the mystical traditions of Zen Buddhism, Christian mysticism, and Islamic Sufism, evident in the transcendental quality of his work. The subject matter and manner of Western medieval and Renaissance devotional art have equally informed his aesthetic. Viola's work often exhibits a painterly quality, while his use of ultra-slow-motion video encourages the viewer to contemplate the imagery and connect deeply to the inherent themes and meanings.
http://www.billviola.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Viola
About the Music: “These are My Mother and Brothers” from the album Even There
Lyrics:
Spoken word introduction (Luke 8:19–21 NKJV):
Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to him
And could not approach him because of the crowd.
And it was told Him by some, who said,
“Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside,
desiring to see You.”
But He answered and said to them,
“My mother and My brothers are these who hear
the word of God and do it.”
Song:
Few were the ones who in Jesus believed,
few who accepted His claim.
Even the ones who by blood He was tied
Thought that this Man was insane.
One day, as the crowd pressed,
His family arrived,
Likely ashamed and disturbed.
When told that His mother and brothers were there,
Toward His disciples He turned.
“These are My mother and brothers,
These are the dearest to Me.
For those who do the will of My Father,
These are My kinsman – My true family!”
Strong are the ties that our heritage binds,
Strong the allegiance we feel.
But we must be mindful that temporal ties
Will to eternal ones yield.
A friend with a mind set on heavenly things,
Companions that trod Calv'ry's way,
And saints who are seeking eternal rewards,
Are those whom, with Jesus, we say,
"These are my mother and brothers,
These are the dearest to me.
For those who do the will of my Father,
These are my kinsmen – my true family!”
Oh, what a gathering will meet on that day when,
At the closing of time,
Heaven's reunion will surely reveal
Saints from each nation and tribe.
And close to our hearts we will ever hold dear
Those travelers we knew on our way,
Whose one common passion was knowing
Our Lord and doing His will every day!
“These are My mother and brothers,
These are the dearest to Me.
For those who do the will of My Father,
These are My kinsman – My true family!”
These are My kinsman – My true family!”
About the Composer:
Heather Schopf is a composer/arranger who works with Forever Be Sure Music (FBS). Over the years, her developing skill and love of music led her to attend Bible college, and she earned her music and Bible degrees in 2003. In 2006, she began focusing and expanding her musical pursuits by composing and arranging vocal music. She finds joy in ministering to local churches while traveling with FBS or in her own congregation, Lighthouse Baptist Church of Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
https://foreverbesure.com/
About the Performers:
Forever Be Sure Music’s (FBS) mission is to glorify God by composing, arranging, and performing message-based music with fresh, appropriate sounds that helps God’s people accurately and passionately worship our Creator and Savior, Jesus Christ. Since their first album in 2008, their aim and desire has been to help fill an increasing void and to provide beautiful music that will spark a connection with the generation of saints in our era.
https://foreverbesure.com/
About the Poetry and Poet:
George Moses Horton (c. 1798–after 1867) was a Black poet from North Carolina who was enslaved until Union troops, carrying the Emancipation Proclamation, reached North Carolina (1865). Horton is the first African-American author to be published in the United States. (Phillis Wheatley's poetry was published earlier, in the United Kingdom.) Horton’s interest in learning to read and write was begun when he listened to the Bible being read aloud and by the hymns he heard. Around 1817, Horton began making the approximately ten-mile trip to Chapel Hill in order to sell fruits and farm products. Here, Horton used his ability for composing to write love poems for the University of North Carolina students, selling them for twenty-five cents or more. The students took an interest in Horton due to his ability to compose verses and his desire for greater knowledge, and gave him books. Caroline Lee Hentz, author and playwright, also took an interest in Horton, teaching him to write and to improve his verses, and she sent his poems to various newspapers for successful publication. After the Civil War, when he finally became a free man, Horton continued to write poetry for local newspapers. Disappointed with the racial discrimination he encountered in Philadelphia, Horton emigrated to Liberia in 1867. This is the last known reference to him.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Moses_Horton
About the Devotion Writer:
Dr. Avis E. Hinkson
Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
Pomona College
Pomona, California
Avis Hinkson brings more than three decades of higher education experience in areas ranging from residential life to student recruitment to undergraduate advising. In addition to earning a doctor of education degree from the University of Pennsylvania, Hinkson holds a master’s degree in student personnel administration from Columbia University’s Teachers College and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Barnard. After a career spent guiding and nurturing students at Bowdoin College, the University of California, Berkeley’s College of Letters and Sciences, and Barnard College, Dean Hinkson joined Pomona in 2018. She oversees the Dean of Students office, which governs student affairs, campus life, residence halls, the dining program, the Career Development Office, Smith Campus Center, programs like KSPC, Asian American Resource Center, Draper Center for Community Partnerships, and related support services, the Women’s Union, Outdoor Education Center, and policy and non-academic compliance matters.