We thank You,
Father, that in Your kind wisdom You created families. You didn’t have to do it
this way. You could have made it so that everyone would grow up on their own.
But having created humanity with social needs and desires, You decided that
establishing families would be the way to go. We are grateful for that since to
grow up alone would mean that we would have to figure out life on our own. And
that surely wouldn't work very well.
So, we thank You,
Father, for this expression of Your wisdom and Your kindness: families.
But we all recognize
that what a family is supposed to be and what families actually are is not the
same. Sin has done its evil work here as elsewhere.
Whether we have
grown up in Godly families that were filled with love or not, we all have
memories of sins and failures and gaps in what should have been.
So, Father, where
there are wounds, apply Your comforting balm. Remind us that You use all things
for good, even our experiences of sin.
Where there is a
need for us to forgive, give us the ability to do that. Remind us of how You,
time and time again, graciously forgive us.
Where there is a
need to go to ask for forgiveness, give us the humility and love needed to do
that.
And where there is a
need to express gratitude to other members of our families for the ways in
which they loved us, move us to do that.
As we are still in
families that are not perfect, help us, Father, to work at perfecting them.
Remind us that Jesus has come for this purpose also, to redeem families.
We know that there
is a day coming when we will all enjoy the blessings of a perfect family, Your
family. In that day, we will see You, our Father, face to face. Jesus will be
there as our older brother. And the Spirit of love will bind us together as one.
We look forward to that.
We thank You,
Father, for this blessing of families. And we pray this through Christ our
Lord, Amen.
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