“10 “And when the Lord your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you—with great and good cities that you did not build, 11 and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant—and when you eat and are full, 12 then take care lest you forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 13 It is the Lord your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear.” -Deuteronomy 6:10-13
This morning, Pastor Rush reminded us through this passage that our homes should have a spirit of gratitude within them. He said, “In other words, don’t forget how God has blessed you. [This passage] reminds us to never start thinking you did it on your own.”
A healthy home, is therefore, a thankful home and is expressed in three ways:
Humility: It’s impossible to feel self-important (prideful) and thankful at the same time. Humility and thankfulness go hand-in-hand, because humility points the importance to others (most importantly God), not the self. It recognizes the blessings that come from another. (James 4:6)
Devotion: Devotion is much like commitment. It’s “giving God the benefit of the doubt during the good and bad times,” as Pastor Rush said. We must build within our hearts and homes reminders that when life gets hard (and it will), that God is completely trustworthy and worthy of our devotion. (Proverbs 3:5-8)
Joy: Finally, joy is the sign of a thankful home, because it undergirds a heart and home that knows “God’s got this.” We can be joyful in all circumstances because even on the cross, when seemingly all hope was lost…God had it under control. We know He’s got us, because 3 days later, He did! (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Questions:
Which expression of thankfulness is most difficult for you to express as an individual: humility, devotion or joy? Which is the easiest?
How about for your family? Where do you see your family expressing humility, devotion and joy?
Take some time right now to bless one another. Use this sentence as a guide: “____________, you bring me so much joy because…”
Finally, take some time as a family to pray and express your thanks for your Father in Heaven…and pray for Mom, too!
The busyness of life tends to keep our schedules full of activities requiring us to be intentional with our time with God. When we encounter a crisis, face a big decision, or simply want to deepen our intimacy with the Lord, fasting is a great response.
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