We need our families

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Renewed hope”

Our Bible verse for today: “God sets the lonely in families …” Psalm 68:6 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “We need our families”

Hope is such an important ingredient to having a happy and fulfilling life, and renewing hope once we have lost it is so vital, that we are going to continue our study of finding renewed hope into the month of May.

I mentioned in a previous devotional that in his research for his book “Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier” Arthur Brookes discovered that there are four pillars upon which a happy and hopeful life is built: family, friends, work, and faith. We have already explored the role faith plays in quality of life, and we have spent several days considering the importance of friendship. Today I want us to think about family.

Brookes devotes a lengthy chapter to the role healthy family relationships play in quality of life (and please note that the emphasis is on “healthy” family relationships). Few things in life are as comforting as being part of a healthy family dynamic, and few things in life are as hurtful and destructive as being part of an unhealthy family. Putting the time, effort, and attention into nurturing healthy family relationships is one of the most effective ways of improving and maintaining a high quality of life. We need our families.

But what about those who don’t have a biological family, or don’t have one close by? What about their quality of life? God took care of that too and He tells us about it in Psalm 68:6 – He gives us church families. This has become increasingly important to me in this current season of my life. Family has always been a huge factor in my life. Being a son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, and uncle have been important roles in my life. But at this point in life, I have lost my father and mother, wife, son, daughter, two brothers, and two nephews.

Fortunately, I still have two sons, a daughter-in-law, a grandson, a brother, two sisters, and various nieces and nephews, but none of them live close to me. So, in terms of day-to-day living, I now have no biological family with a frequent physical presence in my life. But God has helped me by giving me an exceptional church family, some of whom even treat me as if I am part of their biological family. That is precisely what King David was referring to in Psalm 68:6. A good church family takes special care of those who are alone.

Whether we’re talking about biological families or church families or both, being part of a healthy family is one of the most important and powerful ingredients of living a life that is happy and hopeful. Guard those family relationships. Care for them and nurture them, and regularly thank God for your family. We need our families!

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00, in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

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