Thankful for Family

Family is the bedrock of our society. And, family has been under attack in America. Families come in all shapes, sizes and demeanors. And, I love what a friend of mine used to say, “Normal is just a setting on the washing machine. There is no such thing as a ‘normal’ family. There is only the family we know. Each one is as unique as the individuals that comprise it, and one is uniquely yours.” Let’s give thanks for our families today.

“He and his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.” (Acts 10:2; NIV)

“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgives.” (Colossians 3:13; NIV)

Give Him 15 minutes in prayer:

  • The Lord blesses our families when we honor Him. So, bless His holy Name and ask Him to bless your family!
  • Pray for families that you know are facing struggles – sickness, financial stress, rebellious teens, joblessness, etc.
  • If one of your family members has hurt you, forgive them. If another family has offended yours, forgive them. Know that you are forgiven when you forgive. This is a serious thing in the Lord’s eyes.
  • The Word tells us the Lord blesses our families as we give to those in need. Ask Him to give you a creative way to help another family in need for the upcoming holidays.

A prayer you can pray:

Lord, we thank You that you bless our family as we bless You. We worship You and bless Your Holy name. Please meet the needs of our family as we honor You and exalt You! We bring the needs of other families before You, as well. There are so many in need. (Pray for other families in need.) Lord, we choose to forgive (name your family members that you perceive have hurt you. Now pray for other families who may have hurt your family.) Lord, our family wants to bless other families. As we seek You, show us what we can do this holiday season to help another family know how much You love and care about them. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Today’s decree:

We exalt and bless the Lord and the families of America this Thanksgiving!