Joshua 24:15 (ESV)
And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose
this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the
region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell.
But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
God created us for relationship and there is no
relationship quite like that of a family that is seeking God together.
Would it surprise you to hear that there are more
dysfunctional families in the Bible than there are good ones?
As we look through the Bible we some really messed up
families – brothers who sell their
brother and then pretend that he is dead (Joseph), a brother who tricks his
blind dad to think that he is his other brother (Jacob), a son who chooses his
Dad’s enemy over his dad (Jonathan). Lots to read about.
But here is something to think about – why do you think
that God created families? What do you
think God had in mind with moms and dads and children and grandparents?
Our verse today gives an amazing idea of what God might
have intended with families to look like:
Some of us might be the only Christian in our family, but this
passage of scripture could be a reminder to you that your family, whether a
parent or a child, could be a picture to others of God’s love.
Ask yourself, if my family were asked to make a choice
right now, would we serve God even if everyone around us was not choosing God?
What if your family didn’t choose God, would you be able
to say to them like Joshua did – “I am choosing God”?
God can do amazing things in even the worst families.
Maybe some of us have seen families changed by the love
of God…and it is these stories that remind us to pray for our family,
ESPECIALLY if your family is a hot mess!
Because God is in the business of redeeming lost lives.
Just like the Bible is full of stories of dysfunctional
families and messed up people in them, the Bible also is full of stories in
which truly messed up people are transformed into beautiful testaments of God’s
power. Stories of lives changed and people who were hateful, selfish, and mean
became true people of God.
It might not happen tomorrow or the next day or even in a
year, but begin praying today for God to do amazing things in the lives of your
family members.
Dear Lord, we lift our families up to You today. We thank
You that You are in the business of doing amazing things in people and
families. We ask You today that we would
choose this day to serve You. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
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