Fast Day 6: Family

By Ali Lapierre

Bible Passage: Genesis 1-3

There has been an attack on families since the beginning of time. The first assault was in the garden. God created man, then woman. Satan entered the scene, inserted a tiny whispered doubt, telling them that their father doesn’t actually love them. They fall for it, believing the lie, and as a result, they sin. 

Fast forward several thousand years… 

How many people doubt God? How many children, young and old, doubt their parents' love for them? How many children believe lies, such as “my parents just want to control me?” Maybe there is a thought/belief that a relationship is too far gone, spiraled into a hopeless doom without possible reconciliation. Lies from the enemy have infiltrated families, generation after generation. Make no mistake that this is a spiritual battle. Satan wanted to stop the love story between God and his children. After the separation, there was an incredible amount of destruction and the world was dark and striving in their own strength, selfish pursuit. And all the king's horses and all the king's men couldn’t put the world back together again.

But God sent Himself, wrapped in flesh, as a precious baby. A baby that would change everything! That baby, Jesus, grew up and taught us how to love, taught us how to forgive and offer grace and mercy. And then He surrendered and died for all of the sin in the world. His redeeming love consumed the darkness, overtaking sin and provided an opportunity to restore his family. He was raised to life! He defeated death!

Now we are faced with a choice: Continue on in our brokenness, fatherless, and striving in our false sense of control, or surrender AND die. Surrender to whom, you might ask? The King of Kings,  the one true Creator of the world, our Father. And die? Yep! To ourselves, to our flesh. If Eve had died to herself… we’d still be running around naked, blissfully unaware of sin and darkness. Have you surrendered? Have you died? 

You. Are. Chosen. God wants to be your love story. No matter what you’ve done, the mistakes you’ve made, the darkness you have lived in. 

A prayer for you:

God, thank you for Jesus. Thank you for your word! I need you. I am tired of striving in my own strength. I surrender to you and your plan for my life. I want deep relationship with you. Please meet me where I am. Please show up and blot out any doubts and/or distractions. Draw me close to you. In Jesus name, Amen.

A prayer for families: 

God, thank you for your design of family. Thank you that Jesus’ redeeming love shows us how to lay down our lives to restore right relationships. Father, please bring revelation and reconciliation to families near and far. In Jesus name, Amen.

“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” ‭‭Numbers‬ ‭6‬:‭24‬-‭26‬ ‭NKJV‬‬