Thankful for Family

I have said this a number of times recently, but I need to say it again today. God had a dream on the day of creation. He was speaking forth His dream and creating the environment for it. He wasn’t creating planets. He had lots of planets. God’s dream wasn’t oceans and mountains. It wasn’t waterfalls and gardens. It wasn’t unique animals to fill the land, sea creatures to fill the oceans, and birds of fantastic plumage to fill the skies. All of that was because of His dream. His dream was people. It was family. He didn’t create the earth and then wonder what He could do with this fantastic thing; this masterpiece. He knew what to do with it. He was creating a home for this family He was about to put in it. We are His family. All those that receive Jesus as their Savior and Lord are His family. He would have liked for every single one of humankind to end up in that family, but because of the fall, it wasn’t going to be that way. 

Many of us are going to have our families in our homes over the next few days to celebrate and give thanks to God for all He has given and all He has done and will do for us. Let’s prioritize family for a while. Some may know Him. Some may not. Some members of our family are kind, gracious, warm, friendly, thoughtful, and helpful. Some are not. Some like to stir up trouble. Some don’t want to get along with other family members. Some are argumentative or lazy or rude. However, they are the family God gave you. They are the family He put you into. Some of His kids are the same. Some love Him, relate well to Him, like to hang out with Him, and serve Him. Others ignore Him, act like He doesn’t exist, and even profane Him. He keeps loving them. He continues to woo them. He doesn’t treat them the way He is treated by them. So, let’s take a lesson from Him.

Enjoy your family and the family of God. Act as much like Jesus as you have the grace to do so. Ceci and I wish you and your families the most wonderful Thanksgiving season. We are thankful for the family God has given us, and we are thankful for you, our eternal family, as well. 

“Love does not give up. Love is kind. Love is not jealous. Love does not put itself up as being important. Love has no pride. Love does not do the wrong thing. Love never thinks of itself. Love does not get angry. Love does not remember the suffering that comes from being hurt by someone. Love is not happy with sin. Love is happy with the truth. Love takes everything that comes without giving up. Love believes all things. Love hopes for all things. Love keeps on in all things. Love never comes to an end.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a; NLV)

Give Him 15 minutes in prayer:

• Think about everything God went through to provide a place for His family. Imagine the love in His heart.
• Think about the family you will be gathering with this Thanksgiving Day. It may not be your natural family.
• Pray for each one who will be there. Bless them. Intercede for their needs. Thank the Lord for them. Pray for their salvation, if they don’t yet know Jesus.

A prayer you can pray:

Father, You are such a good and loving Father. From the day of creation, You have had a dream in Your heart for family. You created a world for us to explore and enjoy. You made a place with everything we would need in it. You imagined that we would always choose You, but that hasn’t been the case. Thank You for extending us mercy through it all. Thank You for saving us and making a way for us to have the relationship with You that You have always dreamed of. We are imperfect, but You are patient and loving with us, always wooing us. 

If You can be so loving toward me, then help me to be patient, kind, and loving toward each one that I will spend Thanksgiving Day with. My family, nuclear, extended, or borrowed for the day, will be those You have decided I would spend the day with. Let me show them the love of Jesus. Grace me to extend love and mercy to each and every one. You never know—someone may need to be saved. I may need to be an example of the Believers to them. [Pray for each one you know will be there.] Thank You, Jesus, for family. Amen.

Today’s decree:

We are thankful to God for “family”!