2022-10-14
Good Morning Dear Ones,
Today I have been commanded by the Holy Spirit to discuss disconnection vs. joy in connection. A man in his fifties came to me for counseling about his predicament. He was depressed because it was dawning on him that all his children were grown and had left his life to establish their own. Those precious, stressful, and wonderful years between them were lost forever. His children and their families were not close to him. When I asked him why this had happened, he broke down and told me that he had a habit of stopping at a local pub for drinks with his friendly co-works most nights after work to unwind. On weekends, he and his friends eschewed church and played golf. He assumed most working men did this, and the family would understand. I cited NE 8: 10, “The joy of the Lord is my strength” and explained that he had robbed himself of that. There isn’t much that can be done for a situation like this, but I suggested, he should begin taking a keen interest in his grandchildren and apologize face to face with each of his three children. In the meanwhile, he should go back to church (which he hadn’t attended since he graduated high school). You might wonder why I related this story. The reason is it points out some of the negative consequences of disconnection.
The truth is that nothing can separate us from the love of God [RO 8: 38-39]. This doesn’t mean that we can’t disappoint, even hurt God’s feelings or anger Him. And then, there is the question of families; this man’s wife had been begging him for years to join in family activities. She had done most of the heavy lifting in rearing them to relay on her for stability. She should be the first person this man should seek out with a sincere apology. She had done a good job in rearing children who were in general good people, but it had taken a lot out of her to do this. PS 145: 3-4 points out why I believe being a parent is the most important task God gives us to do. “Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation commends Your works to another; they tell of Your mighty acts.” A good family bases its lifestyle on the guidelines God gives us in His “Love Letter,” the Bible. To me, this is part of the pathway to eternal life and joy. 3 JN 1: 4, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” A favorite verse from the OT, MICAH 6: 8, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” A family that lives this way can be a wonderful support in times of trouble, illness, or loss. One without such guidelines as these may be the source or cause of trouble, illness, or loss.
There have been times when God has chosen one of His many ways to speak to me. We need to be sensitive listeners for such moments, because learning the self-control to be active listeners is a learned- behavior we all need. Waiting for the Lord to communicate happens in the perfect time and way of His choice. Even patiently waiting without His answer can do that, because He will choose the time and way to do something that will have maximize its benefit. He has no evil in Him, so we don’t have to be afraid that He is pushing us aside or giving up on us altogether. I know this from personal experience. We can’t demand a miracle, but we can learn to trust in our God from Whom nothing can separate us from His love. Trusting God is not always easy; God doesn’t let us down as some humans do. He always has our best eternal interests in mind.
Sadly, families can sometimes be destructive. That is when a person should know he can turn to God and depend on Him. Such families as these opt themselves out of the rewards of righteous living. That is when a troubled family member should evoke PS 55: 22 in prayer. “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never permit the righteous to be defeated.” Sensible solutions to knotty problems take time; so, we must learn to be patient with God. If we read the Scriptures, we will know what prayer requests are in line with God’s will, and we will pray for those things. Let me end with PS 11: 24, “Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord.”
PRAYER: O Lord, we look to You for the direction that will either lead us from the misery of unrighteous families or help us continue to live as You would wish, the ways that we learned from our righteous family. Our lives are examples for others to see; let that example be according to Your will. Our families are a source of security for us, just as our faith in You is. You are a wonderful God, Whose attributes and deeds are designed to lead us through “the narrow gate that leads to the rocky path to eternal life” [MT 7: 13-14]. We must learn to listen for Your direction, understand why at times You say nothing, and look for the wisdom You share with us. PS 33: 22, “Yes, Lord, let Your constant love surround us, for our hopes are in You alone.” This prayer is said in the holy/mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
NEXT WEEK: Since this segment of our “The Spirit Speaks” devotions is about joy, the Holy Spirit has commanded me to write about the joy of salvation next week. He gives us the power to make wise godly choices that can help families make changes to improve their way of life. Slowly and surely, the royal family of Great Britain and its Commonwealth of nations is beginning to make better choices. In response to having spent time leaning more about Queen Elizabeth II, I have come to respect her over the years and join millions of people all over the world who grieve for her. King Charles III has her tough, sturdy shoes to fill. He should be given a chance to do that. The queen was intelligent, had a sense of humor, was kind, and endured many trials within her family and to do with her country it’s hard to imagine. She kept her promise to dedicate her life to the service of her country and was a loving mother to her children. She was a faithful lady and her memory has my respect. She knew when to be quiet and when to speak up-a rare commodity in human life. Above all she was dignified and a source of security for people around the world. Having said these things, I live in a family that thinks the monarchy should be abolished. While I respectfully disagree because they are a beloved symbol of the USA’s closest ally, I will leave that up to the Lord Himself to decide. In the meanwhile, join so many others in praying for God’s will to be done, for strength and blessings for this family of mourners for the queen, and for a bright future for us all and our families. The Lord is listening; praise and thanks be to Him!
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn, JS 24: 15
© Lynn Johnson 2022. All Rights Reserved.
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