PRAYING

. . . for whole families to return to the Lord!

Now . . . when . . . you return to the Lord . . . you and your children . . . God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart
(Deut. 30:1-2,6).

Father, Son and Spirit, three-in-one, we are so divided, as families. Our homes have become places at which we sleep and keep our stuff. Even in church, we are often divided – men here, women there, children in that building, teens in another. Somehow we have missed the fact the You want us to return to You as families. Whole families, praying together. Families, repenting and reconciling. Families, forgiving and loving. We rarely seek You as a family. Our children need to hear us pray. They need to see us weep. As strong and tough as they may see us, they must witness our brokenness before You. We reverence You. We bow before You. We deeply love you. We know that love makes a family, not merely our love, but Your love. Wake us up to Your love. May we sense it. Infect our children with such love. Pursue them and overwhelm them with agape. May they never get away from the long reach of Your love. There is no treasure we wish to give them more. God, make our children Your children. Remember our love for You. Remember our tears. May the prayers prayed at our family altar be a memorial that comes up to You throughout the generations of our children. Trace their steps. Order their lives. When we are gone, parent them. Help us now rebuild the family altar so that it marks our family tree for ten generations, should you tarry. Amen