In what ways does God care about my family?

Psalm 127:1-5Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good. It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones. Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him. Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior’s hands. How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them! He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates.

Family was God’s idea, so we know he cares deeply about our families and wants them each to be a source of blessing, security, and encouragement to us. Sadly, many families are instead filled with bickering, brokenness, and sin. This is not what God intended, and he offers another way. God won’t inflict his will on our families like a dictator, but when we recognize him as the leader of the family and embrace his principles of loving and caring, we are inviting him into the family, and his blessings will follow.

Psalm 112:1-3How joyful are those who fear the Lord and delight in obeying his commands. Their children will be successful everywhere; an entire generation of godly people will be blessed. They themselves will be wealthy, and their good deeds will last forever.

Proverbs 20:7The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children who follow them.

God blesses those who strive to be faithful. And typical of him, his blessings often overflow beyond the individual on to others. As we walk faithfully with God, his blessings will impact our children as well. These verses can be difficult for parents who faithfully follow God yet see their children go through dark times or wander astray. Ultimately, our children must find their own relationships with God. As parents, our responsibility is to remain faithful to God, pray he will get the attention of our children, and ask for God’s protection in the meantime. Our heavenly Father knows the ache of a parent’s heart when their children wander astray. He experiences that ache every day. But he, even more than earthly parents, rejoices in a wayward child’s return!

Isaiah 59:21“And this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit will not leave them, and neither will these words I have given you. They will be on your lips and on the lips of your children and your children’s children forever. I, the Lord, have spoken!”

Acts 2:38-39Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away.”

Too often we think in individualistic terms. But God cares about groups of people too, especially families. A group of people passionate about God can be a great source of light in the world. As you pray for the individuals in your family, also pray for your family as a whole, knowing that God wants to use them together to accomplish great things for him.