Luke 8.21 observes My mother and My brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.

How close are we to Jesus? How close to Jesus do we really wish to become?

The Christian declares Jesus to be Savior, Lord and King of all. The Scriptures likewise declare Him to be our Brother and fellow heir of all God the Father has intended for His children in the world to come.

So then how close to Jesus must we be in order to be considered part of the family of God for it is through Jesus alone we are reconciled to God and made children of God of whom Jesus is the First-born Son?

Jesus Himself declares that it is those who hear the Word of God and do it who are among the family of God. Does this simply mean attending Church and listening to a sermon once a week then trying to be good for the remainder of the week?

What kind of a Father and God would require so little from His children?

The Lord Jesus gives us a clue through the life He lived and the record He left in the Scriptures as to what it means to hear God and obey His commands. Jesus spent hours in prayer and held a thorough grasp of the Scriptures by the time He was only twelve.

Certainly Jesus modeled a daily connection with the Father that included praying His will be done and knowing His will through the Scriptures so that it could be perfectly obeyed.

Obedience is the proof of our love for God Jesus declared.

Jesus modeled and taught that obedience to God was possible only through total denial of self. We cannot serve God and serve self.

The question we must answer for ourselves is how much are we like Jesus? How well do we pursue God and obedience to His commands?