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- Apr 25, 2006
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30 July 2007
2 Samuel 7 v 25-29
"Now, LORD God, keep the promise forever that you made about my family and me, your servant. Do what you have said. Then you will be honoured always, and people will say, 'The LORD All-Powerful is God over Israel!' And the family of your servant David will continue before you.
"LORD All-Powerful, the God of Israel, you have said to me, 'I will make your family great.' So I, your servant, am brave enough to pray to you. Lord GOD, you are God, and your words are true. And you have promised these good things to me, your servant. Please, bless my family. Let it continue before you always. Lord GOD, you have said so. With your blessing let my family always be blessed."
Someone once said that "family are the friends that you can't choose." I wonder if this rings true with you in any way.
Perhaps you have experienced some kind of family break-up? Maybe there has been a disagreement which has festered and never seems to be resolved. Maybe you just have different interests and find it hard to relate?
Rob Bell in his nooma DVD "Luggage" tells of a woman who he knows who hates family reunions. He explains that, whenever she meets with them, her family turn on her because of her Christian beliefs and say things to her that are just mean.
Maybe you experience persecution like this? Or maybe your experience of family is amazing and your family are also your best friends?
Whatever your family is like, I wonder how often you pray for your family, as David does in today's passage? For it is through prayer that God often speaks to us. And He invented family - so who better to listen to about it?
Spend a few moments thinking about members of your family, simply recalling their names and faces. Then pray over them, as David does, "let my family always be blessed".
Written by Matt Chessum
2 Samuel 7 v 25-29
"Now, LORD God, keep the promise forever that you made about my family and me, your servant. Do what you have said. Then you will be honoured always, and people will say, 'The LORD All-Powerful is God over Israel!' And the family of your servant David will continue before you.
"LORD All-Powerful, the God of Israel, you have said to me, 'I will make your family great.' So I, your servant, am brave enough to pray to you. Lord GOD, you are God, and your words are true. And you have promised these good things to me, your servant. Please, bless my family. Let it continue before you always. Lord GOD, you have said so. With your blessing let my family always be blessed."
Someone once said that "family are the friends that you can't choose." I wonder if this rings true with you in any way.
Perhaps you have experienced some kind of family break-up? Maybe there has been a disagreement which has festered and never seems to be resolved. Maybe you just have different interests and find it hard to relate?
Rob Bell in his nooma DVD "Luggage" tells of a woman who he knows who hates family reunions. He explains that, whenever she meets with them, her family turn on her because of her Christian beliefs and say things to her that are just mean.
Maybe you experience persecution like this? Or maybe your experience of family is amazing and your family are also your best friends?
Whatever your family is like, I wonder how often you pray for your family, as David does in today's passage? For it is through prayer that God often speaks to us. And He invented family - so who better to listen to about it?
Spend a few moments thinking about members of your family, simply recalling their names and faces. Then pray over them, as David does, "let my family always be blessed".
Written by Matt Chessum
