Thankful Hearts: Relationships (Family)
Thursday, November 1st
Thankful Hearts: Relationships
Today, I am thankful for ... FAMILY.
“But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children,” Psalm 103:17
If you’re like me you remember a time where DNA testing was only really discussed on shows like Maury Povich when revealing the “real daddy”…OY! Now, genetics has become a multi-billion dollar industry. Yes, I did type billion with a B. Businesses like 23&Me, Ancestory.com, and MyHeritage are raking in the bucks as they help people find their family genetics and background. I can’t help but wonder if it is because so many people are trying to find where they belong.
Family is a word that often brings about great feelings of nostalgia and gratitude. We cling to traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation, take pride in what our ancestors did and what our children and grandchildren will accomplish, and we treasure/save heirlooms from those who came before us to pass down to future generations. (Now, I want to be sensitive to the fact that for some, the word family doesn’t conjure up such great feelings. It leads one to feelings of betrayal, disappointment, and deep seeded hurt. If this is you, I hope you’ll keep reading. You are a part of a very special family…so stay with me here.) Here are a few facts, some funny, some true, that I found about families:
1. Family members are generally the people we love the most in the world yet can treat the worst.
2. When push comes to shove, we will protect them to our death.
3. Family is not defined by our DNA.
4. Families are like fudge, mostly sweet but filled with lots of nuts.
5. We do not choose our family, they are God’s gift to us.
6. God gives us family to love us. But perhaps God also gives us family to teach us to love people who hurt us. Most of us love our family through the hurt and heartache they may cause. If only we treated everyone like family.
Sisters, as we think about our family both past and present, let us give thanks for the good and the bad, the sane and the crazy, the wonderful and the annoying. Let us bow our heads with gratitude for their role in helping us become who we are. And let us always remember that we are part of a bigger legacy than our earthly family. Let’s celebrate with thanksgiving as we remember our true birthright…we are all part of a very special family…the family of God. We have the DNA of The Creator running through our veins. No need for a DNA test to see if we belong. Praise the Lord, we will be with this family for eternity!
Please share any thoughts on being thankful for our families and, if you’re willing, add a picture of your family to your comments.
For further reading: Psalm 133:1; Ephesians 4:1-6; Psalm 127:3-5; Psalm 103:17
Dear Lord,
Thank You for giving us an earthly family to love us. Thank You for planning that out from the beginning of time. We know that all earthly families are different – none are the same. Where some of us grew up in homes where we were loved, cared for, and nurtured, others of us grew up in families where there was betrayal and broken trust. Heal us, Lord, from any hurt caused by family members. We lift our hands in praise that you will not desert us or disappoint us. You are the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Help us love our family here to the best of our ability including those we call family that do not necessarily have the same DNA. Let us love them, with the love that Jesus taught us – unconditional love. Thank you for sending Jesus so we can live together with you, our Father, for eternity. How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! Ps 133:1. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen
