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Devotions for the Church Year

Strengthened in the Waiting

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Yesterday afternoon, I had “one of those days.” I started to feel down about many things. My optimism crashed. Satisfaction in recent accomplishments collided with discontent. Joy in the holiday season smashed into despair. My insides trembled with anxiety and worry.

Finally, after sharing a meal with my husband and talking with this stable, faithful man, the lights came back on and I started to feel better. But for a couple of hour prior to our evening meal, I had a bonafide struggle with doubt on my hands.

Have you ever felt this way? The world looked bright, cheery, and manageable a moment ago, but then our confidence or our sense of well-being sinks until we feel overwhelmed and shadowed by disbelief or skepticism.

The promises God has been making to us stick in our minds as intellectual information. We know what he said. We recall the words. But our hearts have forgotten and lost peace. I wish I could say an instant fix can perk us up at this point. But we all know that wouldn’t be true. In times like this, recovering peace, or perhaps retaining it in the first place and not losing it becomes our most important wish.

Last week’s devotional explored the story of Ruth. While she journeyed and worked in the fields, carrying on in her apparently ordinary existence, God was at work preparing for her a reward, a residence, and most importantly, her redemption.

This week’s devotional continues the series on the topic of waiting. Ruth was redeemed in her waiting. This week we see that a doubter can be strengthened in waiting. How does this happen?

Hebrews 11:1 tells us our confidence comes from faith. We hope for and find assurance in that which we cannot see. But God sees. This should bring us comfort. We know it’s true, but in those moments of shadow and trembling, a visible, concrete object is what we wish for more than elusive hopes or theories.

This is when I turn to Psalm 27. In verse 1, it calls God “light.” Here is something tangible enough to anchor us when hopes and theories just aren’t cutting it. God is light. This is something we can look for, and then recognize when it is found.

God is also the stronghold of life, giving no reason to fear. The Psalm goes on to rehearse the ways we can find strength. In verses 2 and 3, our hearts do not fear and we have confidence, even in the face of war and conflict. In verses 4 to 8, we find strength in dwelling in God’s presence and gazing upon his face. These activities are not done in a hurry. They take time, and are accompanied by the singing and making music to the Lord as referenced in verse 6, and also through learning from God’s instruction as mentioned in verse 11.

While we appear to be sitting still gazing, singing, and learning, God is at work strengthening. Like the wicked, the enemies, and the army mentioned in verses 2 and 3, our doubts and fears fall away. The light of our salvation is fortifying our inner person, and ultimately securing our victory.

I love how Psalm 27 ends. It is a true Christmas Psalm, a true Advent season encouragement as we prepare and as we wait. Verses 13 and 14 exhort us to remain confident. We will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living, in the land of the hopeful, the faithful, and the satisfied. Wait for the Lord. Be strong and take heart, and wait for the Lord.

Are you in a place of despair this holiday season? Are you grieving loss or wrestling with fear? Is doubt threatening to drown out your faith and sink you into skepticism? Has your heart forgotten God’s promises and lost its peace?

Look to the Light. He strengthens you. Make good use of your situation to sing and praise. Allow him to teach you and lead you in straight paths. When we wait, we grow strong because the day is coming when Jesus will arrive. Promises will be fulfilled. Everything we’ve hoped for and dreamed about will come to pass.

Prayer

God of mercy, whenever I lose sight of you and my faith falters, whenever I am tempted to doubt your heart or misconstrue your motives, turn me again to the clearest sign of your generous mercy, your only Son, Jesus. With you, Lord, there is steadfast love. There is no darkness in you. Glory be to the father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen


Devotions for the Church Year

Redeemed in the Waiting

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Ruth is an unlikely character to introduce into a season belonging to shepherds and wise men. And yet, her story is one of waiting making it totally appropriate to the advent season. Her story has a place among the prophets and signs from heaven guiding us in how to prepare our hearts to receive the gifts of Christmas.

Ruth is mentioned in Jesus’ family tree. In the list of names outlining numerous generations, the first chapter of Matthew includes Ruth as the great-grandmother of King David. A woman and foreigner, Ruth the Moabite hints at God’s great plan to make salvation available to everyone. The story of Ruth and her mother-in-law is filled with tragedy and sorrow. For whatever reason the Bible doesn’t mention, the men in the family died. A shortage of food forces the women from their home. Naomi has nowhere else to go except her hometown in Israel, in the land of Judah, which happens to be Bethlehem, the town in which Jesus will be born.

A time of waiting has begun. In their effort to survive, Naomi and Ruth probably did not recognize the work God was doing in their lives, but he was there and active,using them to bring about his expansive and marvelous plan.

Anytime the Lord has designs on a person’s life, a joyously happy ending is in store,as we see in the last chapter of the book of Ruth. But first comes long stretches of waiting. These are times when God calls a person on a journey,introduces them to new people, and orchestrates events and opportunities.

In the book of Ruth, I detect three different ways Ruth is led into waiting on God.The first wait Ruth must endure is for reward. After arriving in Bethlehem,Ruth meets Boaz, a landowner beginning his barley harvest. Ruth’s reputation has preceded her, and Boaz commends her for the steps of faith she has taken.He says, “May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge” (Ruth 2:12).

This wait for a reward required Ruth to leave behind everything she knew. Although she’d arrived in this new place, she was still the foreigner, the stranger who must make new friends and find a new purpose. Boaz helped her by including her in his harvest. He looked out for her and showed her favor.

The daily work in the fields eased Ruth’s situation as she waited for a residence. She and Naomi needed a home. As unmarried women, they had little standing in the community and no protection. A permanent home with a man as a head of their household would solve their problem.

Naomi is well aware of this predicament so coaches Ruth on how best to honor Boaz. Her interaction with Boaz requires more waiting. She must wait for him to finish his meal and go to sleep. When Ruth got the opportunity to make her request and receive Boaz’s approval, she still had to wait through the night with the matter of her need for a home unresolved.

In the morning, she returned home and waited some more. Wondering, removed from the action uninvolved, and apparently forgotten. Naomi encouraged her with the words from Ruth 3:18. “Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.”

The men are gathered at the town gate to negotiate a solution for Ruth’s ultimate wait,the one for redemption. Boaz, as the relative of Naomi’s late husband, satisfied the role known as the kinsman-redeemer. This man was the one with the right to redeem. He was a close relative who took responsibility for protecting the rights of a family in the absence of the head of the household. Because of his willingness to marry Ruth, the family name of Naomi’s husband and sons would live on preserved and honored.

The dictionary says the act of redeeming is to get something back, to recover it.Other words associated with redemption are ransom, deliver, fulfill, and restore. This is what Boaz did for Ruth and her family. Naomi’s life, full when she left and empty when she returned, has once again been filled. All the bitterness and grief she carried from her affliction and misfortune is swallowed up in joy. The Lord gave her new meaning and a fresh start.

This is what he does for us too. Have you been waiting, maybe for a long time? Have you been praying prayers that haven’t yet received any answers? Do you feel like Naomi, empty, afflicted, or grieving? The Lord as our kinsman-redeemer takes the responsibility to protect and to restore.

Christmas is the time when he breaks into our world with a fulfillment to the promises he has made. Joy swallows up the sorrow. Hope gives us a new purpose. Christ the Savior is about to be born. In Bethlehem, and in us.

Devotions for the Church Year

Change and Expectation

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One of the scribes came near and . . .seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” Mark 12:28 (NRSV)

In this scene in Mark, we discover a teacher of the law who finally gets it. This scribe doesn’t ask Jesus a question out of spite or with the intention to discredit him in public. He appears to have a sincere wish to learn. I’d like to think this scribe was not among those stirring up the crowd at the crucifixion a few days later, or hurling stones at Stephen, and that he was counted among the converted priests Luke writes about in Acts 6:7.

Jesus’ birth and later ministry rocked the world of Israel’s teachers. A new rabbi, claiming to be the Son of God himself, stirred an internal conflict for these authorities on law and religion. They surely sensed in their hearts that Jesus’ actions and words held truth. Everything Jesus did or said fit with the pictures and decrees God gave about his own holiness and character as written in the law Israel’s teachers worked so hard to uphold.

And yet, God hadn’t appeared the way they wanted him to. He didn’t come as the military leader ready to win for Israel the national power they thought they deserved. He didn’t come as a priest, similar in appearance to themselves. Jesus came as a rabbi, yes, but as a sort of hillbilly one. The person of God himself appeared as a humble, nondescript nobody from Galilee of all places.

He sure didn’t appear on the scene as someone capable of taking the world by storm in the way they wanted and with the outcome they hoped for. Because of this, their response to Jesus lacked acceptance. He must act differently or look more authoritative in order to secure their confidence in him. They may have sensed the truth and integrity about him, but in the end they chose to stand behind their own expectations of who Messiah was to be and how he would arrive.

Is Jesus breaking into your life this advent season? Maybe you aren’t sure how to answer because like Israel, you aren’t quite sure what to look for.

Often, Jesus comes quietly, unassuming, allowing us the choice to accept or reject his activity in our lives. But when he does come, his new order can make a mess of things. Jesus’ presence in our lives asks of us new priorities, different ways of thinking, and living from the heart.

If Jesus is breaking into your life this advent season, look for him in the mess, in the humble or the mundane. Look for him in the realities that call you to live out of your heart.

Devotions for the Church Year

Treasures and Thankfulness

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With man this is impossible, but not with God. All things are possible with God. Mark 10:27

Mark 10 is an unusual place to find inspiration for a Thanksgiving themed devotional. Jesus is teaching his disciples as they travel the road to Jerusalem, days before Jesus’ death and resurrection. It appears an unlikely time and place to learn about gratitude, but woven into the teaching is a message about the kind of person who truly knows what it means to give thanks.

Jesus is forming a connection between eternal life, treasure in heaven, and the kingdom of God. Mention is made of reward for giving up relationships and assets in favor of the kingdom. This comes right before Jesus explains his death and resurrection, how he will die, and the number of days that will pass before he rises from the grave.

The rewards are in tension with the inevitable persecution. The resurrection is in tension with the preceding death. The good, the bad, the difficult, and the pleasure are all a part of the discipleship Jesus is asking for. How do we live in this tension? I wonder if we must allow it to become a part of us. We characterize and express it in our person and in our interactions with others.

This means that our witness contains the freedom, the joy, the love, and the abundance of life in Christ alongside the sobriety, the contrition, the lament, and the willingness to suffer. As God’s chosen people, we are joyful, yet lamenting. Free, yet suffering. Abundant, yet contrite.

But beneath it all, we are grateful. We can accept all that the Lord is using in our lives to grow us. Death has a place. Suffering has a place. Waiting has a place. So does joy, freedom, and abundance.

Thankfulness can mean appreciation for good rewards given and the feeling of happiness that comes from enjoying them. Or thankfulness can go deeper and say, “I’m grateful for how I’ve changed. Thank you, God, for allowing the painful and the impossible into my life. Because of them, I have a deeper capacity to feel joy. I’ve learned what it means to give, and I’ve been freed from temptations or habits that held me back.”

This week, as you prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, take time to look over the past year. Remember those times where you’ve grown from difficulty, and then thank the Lord for his goodness to you.

A Thanksgiving Prayer

O most merciful Father, who has blessed the labor of the farmer

in the returns of the fruits of the earth.

We give you humble and hearty thanks for this your bounty.

We ask you to continue your loving-kindness to us

that our land may still yield increase.

To your glory and our comfort, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

from the Book of Common Prayer

 

Devotionals

Turn Our Thoughts to Heaven

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He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Revelation 21:3-5

This exclamation is taken from the larger description of the new order Heaven establishes. God will dwell among his people. He will be with them, and they will be his. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain (Revelation 21:3-4).

When someone who is close to us dies, their loss leaves an empty place they used to fill. We wonder what happened to them and where they are now. For the person who believes in Christ, a glorious eternity awaits them. We can trust that the people who have died and left this life are alive and whole, unencumbered with limitations or impairments, freely enjoying the sights and sounds, the joy and light, or Heaven.

Heaven is a real place created by God and is home to angels, and to every believer. Heaven is where God is. It is a place free of pain, death, or sorrow. God’s glory gives it light. His holiness is the reason for unending praise. His family, our brothers and sister in Christ, live there. The ones who died have already arrived. Those who are still on earth will someday join them.

We will recognize people in Heaven, and they will recognize us. Since there is no pain in Heaven, the effects of sickness will not show on people’s restored, heavenly bodies. Neither will old age or physical limitations take their toll. Heaven is eternal. There is no need to mark the passage of time. Our physical selves will no longer tire or wear out. God makes all things new. We will be our true selves, with freed spirits in God’s Heaven, able to last for eternity because we’ve received His gift of life.

Heaven matters. To us, who are still very much on earth, held down by gravity, facing struggles, and grieving those we’ve lost, Heaven can seem inaccessible. And yet, if we’ve made the decision to believe in Jesus, we live with eternity in mind instead of focused on only today and our immediate needs or discomforts. This gives us great hope because we know our source of strength lies beyond ourselves. God holds the future. He holds our lives. He welcomes into his presence those who have died, and he will someday do the same for us.

Devotionals

Quiet Compassion

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Where did this man get these things? Mark 6:2

Embedded in the action of traveling and teaching, Jesus offers a lesson on how to do ministry. It is easily obscured by the skepticism of his hometown and the scandal glaring from Herod’s family, but the lesson is still there and best perceived from the view of a disciple.

These men had given up everything to follow Jesus, and yet they were still discovering who he was, the power he possessed, and the mission that was someday to be theirs. Jesus begins with a basic assignment. He gives them instructions, and then they get to put those instructions into practice. Verses 12 and 13 tell us the disciples went out and preached. They drove out many demons, anointed sick people with oil, and healed them.

This first assignment taught the disciples about outreach and evangelism. Jesus’ instructions to become a member of the community opened the doors for them to use the authority he’d given them.

Later on, Jesus gives another lesson, this one about how to feed and care for others. The miracle Jesus performed with the five loaves and two fish satisfied the crowd’s physical hunger. It also helped the disciples understand a deeper message. In verse 37, Jesus says to them, “You give them something to eat.” The call suggested so much more than providing these people with a meal. It asked the disciples to offer Jesus himself. They participated with him in the miracle. Verse 34 says, “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.”

In the moment Jesus told his disciples to give the people something to eat, he invited them to share his compassion and to learn from him how to be a shepherd. He gave them the provisions needed to nourish the group that had gathered. The disciples could give to the crowd because Jesus nourished them.

The third lesson Jesus taught was about prayer. He’d sustained disappointment in his hometown, he’d received sad news about his cousin, John, and he spent a long day teaching and caring for a mob. Now he longed to spend time with his heavenly father. Prayer is where he went to find consolation, to gain wisdom, and to enjoy God’s presence. Jesus seeks out these solitary times frequently. The gospels often mention them in passing but Jesus habits of prayer and his reasons for it are worth paying attention to. He knew consolation, wisdom, and peace could only be found in his father’s presence.

Evangelism and outreach, shepherding and prayer, are Jesus’ methods in reaching the lost and advancing the kingdom of heaven. He called the disciples in and trained them all those years ago. Through their words in the gospels and the Holy Spirit speaking to us, we too, are called in and trained for a mission that produces a bountiful harvest and precedes us into eternity.

Devotionals

Wind-swept Sovereignty

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A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Mark 4:37

This week in Bible studies at COC, we’ve been looking at the story in Mark 4 where Jesus calms the storm. I’ve read this passage before, and each time I read it I am left with more questions than understanding. I ask questions like these:

Even though Jesus slept, was his presence in the boat enough to save the disciples? What if the disciples had chosen to let Jesus get his rest instead of waking him? Would they have survived?

In answer to these questions, I would say “yes,” and “yes.” In a way, both questions ask about the same issue. Is Jesus sovereign, and if so, what was his will for the disciples?

First of all, to say Jesus is sovereign means he has no restraints on his decisions. Jesus is his own source of power. He, as God’s Son, is dependent on no one for strength or authority. Nothing is too hard for him. He continues to do new works. He is not limited by anything he has created or allowed. From his boundless supply of power, he does more work, and with grand design.

Jesus as sovereign is above all others. He’s the chief, he’s supreme, and He is the King. As Mark shows us in chapters four and five, Jesus has authority over the weather, over death, over evil, and over sickness. He chooses to use his power to lovingly direct our lives, like a Good Shepherd provides and cares for vulnerable sheep.

This leads to the question of what his will is for the disciples. As with our own lives, we may not be able to say confidently that we know exactly what God’s will is for us. But there are some traits about God we can rely on to grow our trust in his will, as Paul writes to the Romans, “His good, pleasing, and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).

Only God creates storms and calms them. The idea to leave by boat and cross the lake to a new location belonged to Jesus. This meant that he intended for the disciples to encounter the storm. They needed the opportunity to see Jesus’ divine power on display. Often the stormy stretches of the journey hold some revelation of glory. This was certainly the case for the disciples. They witnessed Jesus in command, calming the weather, rescuing the disciples from the inevitable drowning, and growing their faith.

His will for the disciples included a special revelation meant just for them with the goal of strengthening their trust in Him.

Going back to the question, Jesus’ presence in the boat with the disciples was enough to save them. The storm didn’t throw them out of God’s will. Rather, it belonged in his will. Jesus’ sleepiness couldn’t interfere any more than the disciples’ fear did. Everything stayed on track for the moment when Jesus’ glory shone.

O you Winds of God, bless the Lord, praise him, and magnify him forever.

O you Lightnings and Clouds, bless the Lord, praise him, and magnify him forever.

O you Seas and Floods, bless the Lord, praise him, and magnify him forever.

O you Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord, praise him, and magnify him forever.

Let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Praise him, and magnify him forever.

–from “The Book of Common Prayer”

Devotionals

A Paralytic with a Purpose

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Mark 2 is full of fascinating stories complete with heroes, villains, and the unexpected. The friends of a paralyzed man do whatever it takes to get him to Jesus for healing, but the mission proved much more difficult than they thought. Everywhere he went, Jesus drew a crowd. On this particular day, the only way to reach him was not by entering a home politely through the front door, but by cutting a hole in the roof. These men wanted to make absolutely sure their friend received Jesus’ exclusive attention.

But when the moment came for him to receive a diagnosis and treatment plan from the Great Physician, Jesus shocked everyone with his assessment. “Your sins are forgiven. Get up, take your mat and go home.”

And the man did.

His friends’ ounce of faith that got him into Jesus’ presence in the first place produced so much more for him than just the surface healing of his paralysis. He received freedom, wholeness, and the ability to function. Jesus knew this man’s paralysis was a result of sin in his life. If Jesus went to the source of his suffering, the man would enjoy so many more benefits.

Later in the chapter, Jesus meets Levi, the tax collector. Despised and ostracized as a thief, Levi fell into the Pharisees’ class of people known notoriously as “the sinners.” But Jesus comes along and sees Levi for who he really is. He offers Levi the invitation, “Come, follow me.” When Levi accepts, Jesus changes his name to Matthew, a name that means, “Gift of Yaweh.”

When society saw Levi as a crook, Jesus saw him as a gift. Where he experienced rejection and hatred, Jesus offered him acceptance and love. He gives Levi, known in the kingdom as Matthew, a new name, new purpose, belonging, and an important place in the kingdom. Matthew spoke two languages; the language of the Roman world, and the language of the Jews. Even though he couldn’t yet see what lay ahead, Jesus knew he would become one of the writers of the gospels, influencing people for generations.

This is what Jesus does for us. When we lay paralyzed in our sin and unable to function, Jesus sets us free. He heals and he restores in those places where we cannot change our situation on our own. We’re helpless to acquire the rich, full life we desire until Jesus steps in and redeems us. After this happens, we have new purpose, belonging, and an important place in the Kingdom of God. Jesus sees us for who we really are. This truth fuels our lives with meaning and grace so that we can move in freedom, and for eternity.

Of the Dearly Beloved

Thoughts From a Sheep on Psalm 23

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Recently, a colleague in ministry asked me what it means to have a good shepherd. The church where I lead worship has just completed a series of sermons on the 23rd Psalm. This past week, I shared these thoughts with the congregation that attends the service I lead, so I thought I would also share them with you. I trust that these thoughts from a sheep who gets scared, seldom knows which way to go, and is always in need of rescue, will encourage you as you journey at the side of the Good Shepherd.

What does it mean to have a Good Shepherd?

Having a Good Shepherd means that we, as our vulnerable selves, can stand against the forces that aim to destroy us. These forces include sickness death, oppression, spiritual attack, prejudice, and injustice.

God as our Good Shepherd provides us with all that we need to live in health, freedom, and truth with victory, and for eternity.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters.

Psalm 23 tells us that we do not lack protection, strength, or comfort because the Good Shepherd provides them. He knows where we can find nourishment. He makes sure we have a place to rest. He keeps us walking in the ways of truth.

He restores my soul.

When destructive forces invade our lives, the Good Shepherd rescues. He offers healing and restoration. When all looks lost, the Good Shepherd saves. He is the Redeemer, and He makes all things new.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Talent, accomplishments, reputation, possessions, or physical comforts offer no consolation. These things do nothing to calm fear when we journey in the dark. The only source of peace that can be found is in the knowledge that God is there. God is present in our darkest hours. When we can’t see Him, we can rest in the truth that He stands very near, holding each of us close, and holding us steady.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

When prejudice or injustice appear to have more influence over the direction of our lives than God’s plan for us does, He as the Good Shepherd honors us, and he favors us. On the battlefield where conflict rules, the Good Shepherd invites us to a table, in full view of the enemy, and satisfies us with all the comforts of home. He gives love, nourishment, belonging, and rest so that we might have the strength to continue in the fight.

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

The journey with the Good Shepherd is one of identity based on grace. The first three verses of Psalm 23 talk about the Shepherd in third person, as though telling of His gracious attributes. He deals gently with His flock. He provides, comforts, and heals.

Starting in verse 4, the Psalm changes to referencing the shepherd as “you.” Now the Psalm is no longer talking about God, but talking to God. It is a much more intimate explanation of the Good Shepherd because the person tended by this shepherd finds their whole sense of who they are in this careful nurturing.

We can say the same thing. Because the Good Shepherd is gentle, provides for us, comforts, feeds, and heals us, we are ones who walk with no fear. We are favored and we belong. We are loved by the perfect, all wise shepherd who has promised us an eternal home with him in heaven forever. We are content, and we are willing to wait on Him.

Of a Wife and Mother

Make a Wise Investment

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On Wednesday evening, I attended a fantastic community event hosted by the Pella Youth Coalition (PYC). My husband and I are members of the initial team of people who got together this spring with the vision of addressing the trend of substance abuse among the teens in our community. Comprised of concerned parents, law officers, school principals, youth pastors, and non-profit leaders, the PYC is a compassionate group who cares deeply about our community.

The mission of the PYC prompted my thoughts for this week’s blog. Whether you live in Pella or not, I trust the truths you read here are things you can apply to your own daily lives and spheres of influence.

Reach Out to the Community

Five courageous people gave personal testimonies Wednesday night. One of them was a local mother who had been caught off guard by the drug activity in her neighborhood that eventually affected her son’s life. Her story was read by someone else. Another person, whose story was also read by a person in attendance, is still in jail because of the effect alcohol and drugs had on their life.

The other three people were at the meeting and stood before everyone to tell their story. I commend them, but what I found so interesting was the fact that all these stories had a common theme of relationship. One of them said “If I’d just had a relationship with a person I trusted and felt safe with, my life would have gone in a very different direction.” Another met God while in jail. Her sobriety is due to the redemption God worked in her life. She has since found safe relationships.

Our children are suffering a silent crisis. They don’t know how to articulate what it is they need, and they don’t always know where to go to find it. We can help them by being someone in their life who accepts them, brings out their best, listens, helps them grow in relationship with the Lord, and guides them in making good decisions. This is really what our kids are looking for, and we, as people who are on their side, can give it.

Spend Time With Your Family

The second concern on my mind today is for our own families. We live in an era of history when many experiments are being performed in an attempt to redefine the foundations of what it means to be a family. I have one simple admonishment to make. Please make the time to sit down to a meal with your entire family as often as you can. The statistic was shared at Wednesday night’s meeting that children who sit down to an evening meal with their family five times per week have better chances at success in emotional stability, sense of identity, and a higher overall ability to function. This kind of investment in our children’s character is worth saying “no” to all the other pressures that compete for our energy and attention.

At the dinner table is where values can be shared. Heritage is passed on. Discussion takes place. Devotions are read. This is one of the best things we can do for our children, which is to promise them a place where they are nourished physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Sunday dinner is still a thing at my house. My husband and I are both blessed with jobs that allow us Sundays free. But even if this isn’t the case in your home, designate a meal time as your stand-in Sunday dinner.

I encourage this because we as parents not only have the privilege of providing our families with nourishment, but also with Sabbath rest. Our homes must also be places where our children are given permission to leave the pressures of excelling and performing. Home should be a place of rest. If your home does not allow for this, please consider making changes so that peace rules. Kids catch on to strife and conflict. It affects them for a lifetime

Please join me in the call to influence our youth, and therefore the future of our communities, for good.