Faithful Forever

Family is a wonderful thing, and these relationships do so much to enrich our lives, but family makes a lousy god.

People sometimes think...if only my relationship was better with my dad, or if only I found a husband or wife, or if only we had kids — then life would be complete. A picture-perfect family is a blessing, indeed, but this is not where God wants us to seek meaning in our lives.

Family relationships are complicated, and since we’re talking about people, not God, we are sure to be disappointed when a parent, sibling, spouse, or child lets us down. Like us, each of these beloved people in our lives are marked by imperfection.

We love our families (or the dream of a future family) dearly, but this isn’t where we should ultimately place our hope.

Joshua 24:15 says, “Choose this day whom you will serve. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

The Bible tells us in order to be a disciple, we must be willing to give up everything for Jesus. Following Jesus requires commitment and faithfulness, even if our parents or spouse choose not to follow the Lord. If and when we are faced with the painful choice of loyalty to family versus loyalty to Jesus, we must choose Jesus.

Luke 14:26 says, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”

Even if our family members disown us—or worse—for being Christians, we must follow Christ. Jesus’ command to “hate his own father and mother” isn’t a suggestion about how to treat our loved ones. The Lord requires us to prioritize our relationship with Him over our relationships with parents, siblings, a spouse, children, and even ourselves. We must choose to place our hope in God, above all other relationships.

Let’s pray.

God, you alone make life worth living. No earthly relationship, by birth or bond, takes priority over our relationship with you. Thank you for being the one true God we can follow, and rely on. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, family is a wonderful thing and these
relationships do so much toenrich our lives, but family
makes a lousy God.
People sometimes think if onlymy relationship was better with
my dad, or if only I found ahusband or wife, or if only we
had kids, then life would becomplete.
A picture-perfect family is ablessing indeed, but this is not

(00:24):
where God wants us to seekmeaning in our lives.
Family relationships arecomplicated and since we're
talking about people, not God,we're sure to be disappointed
when a parent, sibling, spouseor child lets us down.
Like us, each of these belovedpeople in our lives are marked
with imperfection.
We love our families, or maybethe dream of a future family,

(00:48):
dearly, but this isn't where weshould ultimately place our hope
.
Joshua 24, 15 says choose thisday.
Whom you will serve?
As for me and my house, we willserve the Lord.
The Bible tells us.
In order to be a disciple, wemust be willing to give up
everything for Jesus.
Following Jesus requirescommitment and faithfulness,

(01:09):
even if our parents or spousechoose not to follow the Lord.
If and when we are faced withthe painful choice of loyalty to
family versus loyalty to Jesus,we're supposed to choose Jesus.
Luke 14.26 says we're supposedto choose Jesus.
Luke 14, 26 says If anyonecomes to me and does not hate
his own father and mother andwife and children and brothers

(01:30):
and sisters, yes, and even hisown life, he cannot be my
disciple.
Even if our family membersdisown us or worse for being
Christians, we must followChrist Jesus' command.
To hate his own father andmother isn't a suggestion about
how to treat our loved ones.
The Lord requires us toprioritize our relationship with

(01:51):
him over our relationships withparents, siblings, a spouse,
children, even ourselves.
We must choose to place ourhope in God above all other
relationships.
Let's pray Lord God.
You alone make life worthliving.

(02:12):
No earthly relationship bybirth or bond takes priority
over our relationship with you.
Thank you for being the onetrue God we can follow and rely
on.
In Jesus' name, amen.