Light On Wednesday

with Major Isaiah Motsi

(Gaborone, Botswana)

GOD LED FAMILIES

Genesis 25-27 Luke 15:11-31

Being led and blessed by God does not guarantee a life free of challenges and problems. 

It simply means, with God's guidance there always will be a better way to deal with every situation. 

Let us look at two families, Isaac's and the prodigal son's.

The two families have a few  common characteristics. 

They both have sons who at one point left home. 

The going away which had something to do with family wealth, caused friction and tension within each family. 

In each family, it is the younger brother who is the center of commotion while the elder brothers' positions are compromised.

Have you realized that in some families, there are characters who are always the center of attention? They fill the family space with a lot of confusion.

 

It then remains the duty of the parents to maintain their position on the throne of grace, praying for their children. Job would even offer sacrifices for the unknown sins of his children.  

(Job 1:5)  Jacob went away to stay with his uncles, fleeing from his brother Esau. 

At least he was at home away from home. However, he had his share of challenges, but God kept his hand on him. 

The prodigal son went away, not fleeing from anyone but, on a voluntary spending spree. 

This angered his brother, who could not hide it when the younger brother returned empty-handed. (Luke 15:28-31) 

Their father became the unifier and diffused the tension. It is the parents' duty to diffuse and not to fuel tension between their children.

Jacob lived with a guilty conscience for a long time until he sought to make it up with his brother when he finally came back. 

The good thing is, he was remorseful. He was pleasantly surprised by his brother who accepted him without any restitution. 

That is family love guided by God. The prodigal son also came back to his senses and went back to the father and to God as a repentant sinner, and his father also welcomed him back with open arms. 

Our God is always ready to welcome us back as his children with nothing taken away from us.

As parents, we should learn from God, our father:  pray for big hearts so that we can always be ready to forgive  unconditionally. Jesus invites us to learn from him. 

_"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart.." (Matthew 11:29)  

It was humility, acceptance and forgiveness that helped each of these families put the past behind them. 

If these three pillars are active in any family set up, surely all problems that families face would be peacefully and amicably resolved. Amen.

isiah.motsi@zim.salvationarmy.org

+26773751187