Because that’s What Family Does
“He changes the times and the seasons; he removes kings and raises up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those who have understanding.” Daniel 2:21 NKJV
September for us, is the time on our church calendar where we focus our prayers on the family. It is a time when our children go back to school, and vacation from a long hot summer comes to a close. It is a time of refreshing and renewal as the seasons begin to change. Some things die, and others breakthrough anew. For us this year, I am praying for breakthrough.
And maybe this year for us it will be a time of homecoming. After more than two years of Covid & the Pandemic the CDC (Center for Disease Control whom we’ve all become so familiar with) has relaxed its guidelines, and people are returning to their offices. The face masks have come off, and zoom meeting are becoming a thing of the past. No more skypes. No more separations. The implication is there, but this in no way means that Covid is over. While many have been vaccinated and boosted many have not and I think we still have to be careful. It is still a transmissible disease, and we must continually be concerned about others, and ourselves.
We can all agree that these Covid times have been the worst of times and our families have been tremendously impacted. We’ve been shut-in. Not knowing if it would end, or how, many of us have not been able to touch or hug one another for two years. Some of us have not seen each other for as long. In these two years, we have had new babies born that we could not hold or see. We have had to cancel, or re-schedule weddings, and other celebrations because we could not safely gather.
We have lost many loved ones and missed funerals of those whose lives we could not celebrate because of unsafe conditions. Lots has happened and lots have changed and we have longed to take a sigh of relief and this may be the time, but mere chance, nor blind fate has gotten us here. Our sovereign God, who oversees what He allows has been faithful. His Word tells us that, “He changes the times and the seasons; he removes kings and raises up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those who have understanding.” Daniel 2:21 NKJV.
We’ve made it this far because the “Master” has kept His Word. He promised never to leave or forsake us. It is He who effects change. Regardless of the outcome, our sovereign God is in complete control. Knowing this, I declare that this be a time of homecoming for us— in our individual families and in our church family.
As we pray continually and intercede for one another and for our children going out into the world my prayer is that we will renew our commitment to each other. With renewed energy and strong faith in a Faithful God, we will lift up the name of Jesus. There is no way we can make it without Him. He is Worthy, He is Righteous, and He is be exalted!
New seasons bring new energy. For sure there will be many new challenges that we will have to face, and obstacles to overcome, and prayerfully we will face them together. I know, “because that’s what family does.”