During a recent family outing, we enjoyed The Blind Side, a movie that tells the true story of Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman Michael Oher. As I watched the film, I was moved to tears on at least three different occasions. Abandoned by his own family, this young man was found by a wealthy family who adopted him as their own. It was amazing to see his transformation and success as he learned to live with a family who loved him unconditionally. I was reminded of how important the family is to a person’s wellbeing.
Family is so important to God that He began the world with a family. His son Jesus was born into a family. When the church was born on the day of Pentecost it was structured like a family.
In a healthy God-fearing family, love is unconditional. In such a family, a person’s word means everything, and a covenant with Christ and with each other is the foundation that the family lives by. These families place a priority on children being born, protected, taught, cared for and honored as God’s gift. It is in the family that the gospel is lived out, the love of God is exemplified and children most often learn about love and acceptance.
Where each of us live, there are children who live in healthy families and reap the rewards of such a life. There are also countless boys and girls who, like Michael Oher, have never experienced the love of a mom and dad. Many of these children do not experience the security of a warm home, and some never have a comfortable bed to sleep in.
As we begin this Christmas season, I encourage you to join me in several points of prayer:
- Pray for your family.
- Pray for your pastor’s family. The pastor’s home is a major point of attack by the enemy.
- Pray for the family ministries (i.e., children, youth, men, women) and the marriages in your church.
- Pray against a spirit of divorce and abandonment that has gripped our nation.
- Pray that God will give the church an open door to be a blessing to children who need the love and care of a healthy family.
The Christmas story is about the Father sending His only Son to adopt mankind (you and me) into His family. This story is also about a family (Mary and Joseph) receiving Jesus into their home. As they shared Him with the world, their family was a blessing to others.
“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.” Galatians 4:4-5
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By: Dan Mundt, supervisor of the Heartland District of Foursquare Churches