Family Time

After God created Adam, He realized that it wasn't good for Adam to be alone. Adam needed a family. He needed a wife to be his helper, and he needed children to fulfill God's command to "be fruitful" in the earth.

Cunningly, the family was where satan chose to strike first. Initially, he caused Adam and Eve's union trouble when he tempted Eve in the garden. As soon as God questioned their decision to disobey Him, Adam threw Eve under the bus blaming her for the whole thing. Then, when the pair had children, satan was able to use Cain's jealousy and turn it into a murder between brothers.

The rest is history.

All throughout the Bible there are stories of how families betrayed each other... how jealousy ripped families apart... how greed caused rifts between parents and children... how favoritism wreaked havoc... how pride brought pain...

The devil knows that if a family is able to remain a strong unit, they can do great things for the Kingdom of God. If a family is in harmony, they can spread more love and joy in the earth. If a family is whole, there is one less group of people who are too distracted with drama and negativity to pay him any mind.

God designed families. He purposefully put together families to bring Him glory.

Think about it: He chose Mary for a reason. He knew that she would accept the great task of bearing the Messiah. God chose Joseph to be Mary's husband knowing that he would do the honorable thing by her when she revealed that she was pregnant and not by him. When they worked together in harmony, they were able to facilitate the birth of our Lord and Savior.

Think about your family. There's a reason why you have the mother, father, sisters, brothers, grandmother, adopted parents, guardians, etc. in your life. It's no accident how you ended up the way you have.

The devil would love for you to focus on the family dramas - the slights, the attitudes, the forgetfulness, the grudges - in order for you not to have a fully functioning unit. He would love for you to bemoan the fact that you come from a broken home. He would love for you to focus on the abuse you suffered at the hands of a loved one. Satan would love for you to continue the bitterness toward your siblings that keeps you apart from them.

But God wants to use you and your family to bring Him glory. He wants to turn all the negativity around for your good. He wants to use the hurt to bring healing. He wants to transform the chaos to peace.

Today, bring your family up before the throne of God. Ask the Lord to show you what He had purposed when He gave you the family that you have. Ask Him to show you how to begin to heal whatever pains are there. Ask Him to show you how your family - as messed up as it may be - can bring His Kingdom glory.

God loves family. He wants all of us to enjoy our families. Yes, things may be difficult and trying, but all it takes is allowing the Lord to step into those difficult and trying spaces... Then you will see the glory of God.

Verse of the Day: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28