In my younger years, Father, I knew people who loved studying through the psalms, but I have struggled with them. I think I should reconsider that!
God arms me with strength,
….and he makes my way perfect.
He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
….enabling me to stand on mountain heights. Psalm 18:32-33 (NLT)
Luke 11:27-28 (<<click to read the passage)
We are just a little past Mother’s Day and Father’s Day is almost upon us. It is a great blessing that Karen and I both have our mom and dad still with us. We are in our mid-50s and they are all in their 80s now.
I have friends my age who have had to deal with losing a parent or in some cases both of their parents. I realize that many people throughout the world don’t have the benefit of both parents being a part of their lives. Many are fortunate to have had one faithful parent.
Whole family units are maybe a bit more rare in today’s world but they are just as important as they have ever been. That is another reason why those who choose to follow Jesus should be diligent in taking note of families around them who struggle as single parents, both moms, and dads. It is a challenge to parent alongside another parent…I can hardly imagine how single parents keep everything going. As followers of Jesus, we need to be active and on our knees in prayer concerning those flying solo with everything on their plate, and no one really able to help shoulder the responsibilities of life.
Families were equally important in Jesus’ day. Genealogies were cherished. The Jewish people could trace their family back for hundreds of years – actually, back to the very beginning! They were reminders – guarantees if you will – that they were part of God’s chosen people. A man’s value came from his ancestors, and a woman’s value came from the sons she bore. *
There are examples throughout the Bible. There were women, unable to have children, and their lives were miserable – Rachel (Jacob’s wife – Genesis 30), Hannah (Elkanah’s wife – 1 Samuel 1), and Elizabeth (Zechariah’s wife – Luke 1). The Apostle Paul shared his lineage in a couple of his letters (Philippians 3:5, Romans 11:1). The family was a big deal.
Luke 11:27 says,
As [Jesus] was speaking, a woman in the crowd called out, “God bless your mother—the womb from which you came, and the breasts that nursed you!”
Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.” Luke 11:27-28 (NLT)
Family is important, but absolutely nothing is more important than being a part of God’s family. And we all know that honoring our family by listening and respecting guidance that is given is important but, again, it is “even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.”
Pray for your family. Pray for my family. Pray for every family you can think of. But when all is said and done, pray that they all find themselves in the family of God!
*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation
June 18th, 2020, Thurs, 7:46 pm
