Born in a Barn: Jesus’ Messy Family — Monday
Psalm 34:18
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. (NLT)
Reading through Scripture, there are a whole lot of stories about dysfunctional families and imperfect people. Cain murdered his brother. Jacob tricked his father and his brother into an inheritance that wasn’t his. David had an affair with a married woman and then had her husband moved to the front lines, where he died. But despite all that—God protected Cain from harm for the rest of his life after he confessed what he did to the Lord; Jacob encountered God personally and fathered a long line of descendants as the Lord promised; David was called “a man after God’s own heart” by God Himself; and all of these folks are in the direct lineage of Jesus!
It’s important to remember that—while we may see injustices and imperfections in the world and, specifically, in our families—every single person on this earth was created by God in His image. It can be trying to accept that fact when we’re angry or hurt or relationships are broken, but God loves every single one of us and desires a relationship with us all. More than that, God can use all of us to accomplish His will and His purpose, no matter how broken we are. He sees the brokenhearted, and He is a God of redemption!
Remember, David himself wrote in Psalm 34, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” David lived as a broken person in a broken family, yet He chased after the Lord’s heart, and the Lord was near to Him.
As we go into the holiday season and see—or long to see—family and friends, we must remember that God can redeem all of the dysfunction of this world in His time and according to His purpose. He has the power to reconcile that lost relationship; to heal the heart of that wayward person in your life; to bring friendships and family in the midst of loneliness; and to redeem even the worst of our choices. First, though, we have to see people as God sees them, and pray for that reconciliation and healing.
Monday’s Reflection
Take a moment today to pray for God’s will to be done in your life and the lives of those in your family. Make a commitment to turn your hurt, brokenness, desires, or relationships over to Him in this season.