My family is trying to re-commit ourselves to having a weekly (we do it on Sunday evening) family time. We have a hard-bound prayer journal we've been keeping for about 2 years now (its fun to go read what was going on back then). My 2 kids, my wife, and myself each get to pick 2 things we are thankful for and 2 prayer requests. We write them in the book and then we pray.
We also have a Bible story and I typically stand-up and try to tell the story fairly dramatically and occasionally act out parts of the story and even involve the kids some weeks. We've been missing this time a lot so I asked my wife to help me to make sure we wrap up our busy Sunday stuff that is typically happening so we can have this time.
My purpose in having the family time is three-fold, these are not in order of importance:
1.) I want this to be a great time for us as a family to spend together and my theory is that this will bond us together and give us special memories. I remember when my dad and mom used to read to us and those are super neat memories- I hope this means as much to my own kids.
2.) I want to carve out this time as a family to have us all on the same page spiritually and to have us all carve out the time to put God first.
3.) I am pursuing the Lord and I want to plant seeds in my kids and in my wife that will spur them on in their journey of chasing God as well.
Tonight as I relayed the story of Josiah to the kids and to my wife I said. Kids, the problem for me is that I CAN'T choose God for you. The lesson for you is you have to be the one to do it. Each person has to make that choice for him or herself- their parents cannot do that for them. I told them I have had times with the Lord that were so powerful, rich, and awesome that I have asked him to not let the time end. I said to them that seeking and pursuing God is the most powerful and amazing thing there is- but it takes work and you have to stick to it and not quit.
I told them- So, if you are going to choose to seek the Lord and put him first how do you do that? I said, Tonight, I am going to tell you about the first lesson of seeking the Lord...and then I will do one each week.
So, I thought I would pass along to my friends here on the Web the first lesson I shared with them. The first lesson when you make the commitment to stop playing around and put God at the center of your life, your thoughts, your actions, your choices, and your ALL and you want to start seeking God - is to start.
That's right the first lesson is to start. Start seeking him, start spending time with him. It will be difficult, you won't know what to do, it will be dry, it may be dull, you may see no results early-on, you'll have to carve out the time, (you'll have to HEAVEN FORBID shut off the television) and you may want to quit but if you're serious you won't.
You must come to God so brazenly, so boldly, and with such determination that you will never quit once you start. There is nothing that could stand in your way. You will give up friends, family, fun, and even food sometimes to spend time with him. You will seek the Lord when you think nothing is happening and it is totally worthless.
You will do this because of a thing called "hope". Hope is waiting patiently out of trust. Hope is a belief that if you're faithful- surely God will show up eventually. Hope is desperation for God. Hope is dissatisfaction with living the sick, carnal, controlled, pied-piper lifestyle this world has for you. Hope is persevering in prayer and in reading your Bible believing God will eventually show up.
And if you do that, and if you don't stop... God will meet you.
James chapter 4 verse 7-10 says "Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up."
I like that verse that says "draw near to God and He will draw near to you".
Lesson 1: START.
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