Greetings to you in the name of the ‘Great Shepherd of the Sheep’. Jesus Christ – THE Risen Saviour! What an interesting day to usher in a weekend…the last weekend of July! I trust that you have sensed God’s presence around you this past week as you experienced each day with all of its challenges. I am praying that there is a little bit of – “I’m looking forward to Sunday and meeting God with my church family” – going on in your spirit. Today I will be praying for God to prepare you for a miracle, for signs and wonders, for ‘amazing’ grace, and new mercies.
I have had a burden in my soul for the last few weeks for families that I know who are dealing with brokenness and the hurt that goes with it. I know that family wounds are slow to heal. Families it seems, are the means of passing on from generation to generation what is good and right and positive, as well as what isn’t so good and so right and so positive. I know that family wounds are carried in the heart and that the healing of the heart requires the healing of the past. I know that the restoration of families matters to God.
There are two particular portions of Scripture that God has been drawing my attention to: Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of the Broken Walls, Restorer of Street with Dwellings…Isaiah 58:12 – No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders,but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise…Isaiah 60:18. God, I believe, has three words to give to his people: Renew – Restore – Revive !
I am thinking of an old chorus that I would, with poetic license, change the words: Lord lay my family on my heart a- And love that family through me – And may I humbly do my part – To win my family for You. It was fifty years ago that a musician by the name of Roger Miller wrote: The angry words spoken in haste – Such a waste of two lives – It’s my belief that pride – Is the chief cause for the decline – In the number of husbands and wives. I am sure that it is the same with families…angry words spoken in haste – have affected too many lives – Its my belief that pride – Is the chief cause for the family wounds – That have broken so many families.
Pray for your family this weekend – Renew – Restore – Revive ! – May God begin to repair broken walls and restore the flow of communication and bring shalom peace!