Fractured families

Hosea 11
1“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. 2But the more they were called, the more they went away from me.[a] They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images. 3It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them. 4I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love. To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them. 5“Will they not return to Egypt and will not Assyria rule over them because they refuse to repent?

John 6
  35Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

A fractured family is painful and difficult to understand. Israel was God's chosen people, and yet they continually chose other Gods no matter how many miracles God performed to show His love for them. So, God let them dwell in their sin hoping they would return to Him when things got too tough for them. They usually did, but not before some pretty painful events.

Our lives here are so imperfect, just like the Israelites. We are just like the Israelites, turning from God and doing what we want. They could have beeb so much more if they had done everything through God's love, but they did not. Today, we are no different. We could be so much more if we did everything through God's love, but we are not able to do that because of the sin in our hearts. We can only keep trying and keep asking for forgiveness from Him.

Then there is our family. How fractured it is. Some days it seems like I can see the love. Some days, I wonder how anything will ever be okay between us. Family is difficult, but we are God's family, too. We are difficult to Him. Fortunately, John 6 shows, God loves us so much, He keeps trying. Sometimes, He tries by letting us get into trouble and reap the punishment so we will turn to Him. He keeps pursuing as it shows in Hosea 11, but sometimes He has to let us have our own sad, hurtful, even dangerous way, so we can see His way is better. He does the same for our family members, and we should do the same also.

Our family...the sleepless night's I have spent worrying, fuming, praying, crying over the hurtful things said and done and over the loved ones who still have not accepted Christ as their Savior. The good news is God is pursuing them, and me, also. He wants us all to come to Him...to wait on His guidance so we can stop hurting each other, and ourselves...or at least less often!

I need to ask for forgiveness and my family members need God to forgive them. That is so hard when the heartache comes from their words and behavior, but our reaction and actions speak volumes in return. My fractured family hurts, but I know God is always pursuing all of us. I pray He continues to pursue until my whole family is His. I pray all my family members open their hearts to Him. I pray for healing.