We ARE Family Together
“Family is the single most important influence in a child’s life. From their first moments of life, children depend on parents and family to protect them and provide for their needs. Parents and family form a child’s first relation- ships. They are a child’s first teachers and act as role models in how to act and how to experience the world around them. By nurturing and teaching children during their early years, families play an important role in making sure children are ready to learn when they enter school. Children thrive when parents are able to actively promote their positive growth and development. Every parent knows that it’s sometimes difficult to do this important work without help, support, and additional resources” (copied; SMART Beginnings – Martinsville-Henry County, VA)
I love this depiction of Family and Parenting. Moms and Dads are crucial supports as a child learns the ropes of Life, Family and Growing Up. But IMHO there are a couple of missing components that are crucial to the Parenting equation….
Marital love,honor, respect and commitment, displayed by Mom and Dad together, for children to see…and a firmly founded commitment and love for God, who created marriage and family for us to enjoy. This our Father’s heart for solid Families…. a reflection of His Heart for His Forever Family. For all who have embraced God’s Heart for each of us through His only Son’s death on the Cross and Resurrection (Jesus); we are now adopted into The Father’s Forever Family!
His Adoption…A Transformational Life
As we mentioned previously in this blog, Our Heavenly Father’s process to reclaim His children from our sin and rebellion included His Heart and Desire for us, His Plan to redeem us through Jesus, and His Vision, Benefits and Requirements for our “Best Life”.
What does this look like, we ask? Just as we learn, develop, and mature under our Parents we begin to emulate many of the Physical and Character traits, Personality, and Values our Parents have nurtured us in. As the Family tree grows and expands we, in many ways, naturally and unconsciously develop family traits that depict generationally our family name. The same is true for our Heavenly Father’s desire for our lives as His children, His People. He longs and desires for His children, His people to reflect His Physical and Character traits, Personality and Values He has and is. He longs for His Family to be Holy as He is Holy… this is merely setting, focusing our heart toward His higher purposes. Like Nicodemus, from the Bible… this is not religion and robotically saying and doing the right things when called upon. This is a Relationship with our Heavenly Father as we walk together, doing life and gaining wisdom and experience.
My Dad was a milkman during my early childhood. He went to work early (5:30am) and came home late (7-7:30pm). I cherish the mornings that I got up and found Dad in the bathroom shaving. That was our “time”. We would talk about “stuff”. We would set plans to go fishin’ that weekend or maybe to a baseball/Football game. They were awesome times. I’m so glad we had those early mornings together as they shaped my thoughts, my mind and heart for many years to come… my transformation from a boy to a man was just beginning.
This is the same kind of intimacy our Heavenly Father desires to have with us. He has laid everything He has for us in His Word, The Bible. As I continue to connect with Him daily in prayer and Bible study, I have realized that there is no direction my life can take that He has not given me His thoughts and heart about. When I spend time with My Heavenly Father in His word and prayer, I’ve noticed that as I listen to his counsel, my heart and mind begin to take on His mind and heart into mine. I begin wanting and caring about the same things that He does. Religion is based on “What would Jesus do?” so we can say we did it and check it off the list. But a Relationship goes much deeper… it asks the question “Why did Jesus do?”, depicting His heart motive. It truly does come down to where our heart is, and that is the real heart change, the transformation if you will, that our Father wants for His Family, His children, His people to reflect… His Heart through our daily lives. Real Life, Real Jesus, Real time! #EverydayHeartlife4God ♥