Make Time for God and Family

It is 1:53 am and I am wide awake.

I usually sleep well, but I woke up with a profound thought:

If I don’t intentionally make time for my family, and if I don’t intentionally make time to spend with God, the enemy will bring distractions and things in to wreck my relationships with my family and with my walk with God. Watch out!

This week has been disruptive. Each member of my family has had things to do: Work, studies, tasks, deadlines, and exams.

Yesterday I hardly spoke to my wife or my four sons. We were all so busy.

While we all live in the same home, yesterday it felt like we all just walked past each other.

We didn’t have a meaningful chat. We didn’t spend any quality time together. We were all so busy doing “important things” that we didn’t take time out to spend with each other.

My eldest two children, Daniel and Josh, are at university. With winter setting in, they have been leaving home early, well before sunrise, to avoid traffic. Yesterday Elijah had exams and left early, Janet took David to school, and I had an early appointment. I, therefore, didn’t see my sons in the morning. I got home just after 6 pm. When I got home, the house was empty. Daniel was still at gym. Josh was in the office busy with an assignment. Elijah was in his room studying. David was playing a game on his computer with friends. Janet was on her phone in the kitchen. I was on my laptop answering emails. The tv was on. We were all in the same house, but we were completely disconnected, and we had no meaningful conversations.

I am embarrassed to say that I never even tucked my youngest son into bed, I was so busy with my stuff.

We are a close-knit family. Thank God that this is not the norm.

But I woke up with a word: Watch out that this doesn’t become the norm. Make time to spend with family and with God. Be intentional or other distractions will rob you of a close relationship with both God and your loved ones. Make time. Don’t compromise or you will miss out. And if you allow stuff to get in the way, you will regret it.

I felt like God woke me up to warn me, as the head of my home, not to allow things to get in the way, and distract me and my family from quality time with each other, and especially with God.

Jesus says, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” (John 10:10 NLT)

Watch out!

Make the most of your time. Don’t let anything rob you of what is important.

It is Time to Wake Up!

“Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.” (Ephesians 5:14-16)

Wake up. Be careful. Be wise.

Don’t be foolish. Don’t ignore what is going on. Awaken. Make the most of every opportunity.

I believe God woke me up to warn me to watch out, to be intentional, and to work on building a loving home that is centered on Jesus.

Life is filled with choices and many distractions.

“But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve … But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)

How Are You Doing?

Lately, I have heard of so many families who have become estranged – Wives and husbands who live in the same house but who do not even speak to each other.

They go to different churches They have different friendship circles. They never spend any time together. The fire they once had for each other seems to have died. If this is you, you need to rekindle your flame.

Many children, even while living at home with their parents and siblings, are so consumed with their own lives that they hardly even communicate with those closest to them.

Many families are disintegrating. A family can all be sitting in the lounge together, each on their own device, having closer relationships with social media than with those in the same room.

And then there as so many have families who have been deeply affected by divorce, left broken, battered, and bitter.

Also, I know so many who are angry. Life is too short to get bitter and twisted. Make peace. Don’t give the enemy a foothold.

“And don’t sin by letting anger control you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.” (Ephesians 4:26-27 NLT)

So many people are battling to cope with life. Depression and anxiety are causing great distress. Many are seeking peace, looking for an escape from their troubles, and searching for meaning, purpose, and love.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7 NLT)

Live in Peace

“Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.” (Romans 12:18 NLT)

If your life is spiraling out of control or you feel like you have slipped off the rails, you need to get Jesus back to the center.

He offers peace. He can fix what is broken. He can help you get back on track.

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” (Matthew 19:26 NLT)

The enemy is really trying to wreck people and obliterate families. He comes to distract. To drive wedges. He aims to lead astray. He also tries to keep us busy with never-ending to-do lists and disruptions.

“The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].” (John 10:10 AMP)

Work on Your Relationships – With God and Your Loved Ones.

God:

“Come close to God, and God will come close to you.” (James 4:8)

“Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.” (Matthew 22:37-38)

Husbands and Wives:

“So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” (Ephesians 5:33)

“In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.” (1 Peter 3:7)

Children:

“Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:1-3)

Love:

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

Restart

Many have also drifted from God. Their walk with God, which was once close and vibrant, has stagnated and they have become cold. Return to God.

“Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish.” (Joel 2:13)

Let God reignite a new fire in your heart. Draw near to him and he will draw near to you. Don’t let anything get in the way of your walk with God. If you have stumbled: Get back up!

Return to the Lord.

Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Seek him and you will find him.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.” (Jeremiah 29:11-14 NLT)

Sometimes we get so busy doing stuff that we neglect our relationships with those most important to us.

Set quality time aside to spend with your loved ones. Set quality time aside to spend with God too.

Take time out to sit at Jesus’ feet.

We live such busy lives. We live such noisy lives. Take time out to spend with your loved ones and with God.

If your relationship with your loved ones has become estranged, it is time to change this. It’s not too late. Make peace. Make time. Forgive. Restart. Do something.

And if your walk with God has stagnated or died, return to God.

Spend time with God. Read your Bible. Pray. Listen.

God wants you to hear his voice.

He wants to lead and guide you.

It’s time to rebuild, to work on your relationships with God and your loved ones.

Do you have a relationship with God? Are you born again?

If you are not in a relationship with God, your eternity is at serious risk.

In eternity, we will all have to stand before God and give an account.

Depending on your relationship with God, you will either spend all eternity with God in his Kingdom or you will spend forever in hell.

Jesus paid a huge price for your eternity. He paid the full price for your forgiveness and peace. He made a way so that you can be reconnected to God and come back into a close walk with him.

If you have fallen away or if you do not have a relationship with God, call on Jesus now to save you. Repent of your sin. Seek him. When you seek him, you will find him.

He will forgive you and restore your walk with him. It’s time to start afresh. A new season awaits you. A new chapter is ready to be written. It is time to awaken and start a new life with Jesus at the center.

Today I urge you to get your life back on track. Get right with God. Get your relationships right with your loved ones too.

If you want to start or restart your walk with God, click here to pray a simple prayer we have set up for you.

Often as a family, we will eat and read God’s word together. We go to church together. We also make time to go out.

Often, I will also spend one-on-one time with each of my sons, and with Janet. I play sports and games with my sons. Often we just chat about our goals and aspirations, our struggles, God, life, sport, and other stuff.

I want to encourage you not to take your time with your loved ones for granted. And don’t take God for granted! Cherish them!

I encourage you to spend quality time with your loved ones.

Go on regular date nights. Keep the flame burning.

Pray together. Read God’s word together.

Take time out to chat.

Do things together. Play games. Watch a movie. Go out as a family.

Go to church together.

And don’t neglect your walk with God.

Surrender Your Life to Jesus

Call on Him:

“For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13 NLT)

Ask Him to Forgive You:

“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” (1 John 1:9 NLT)

“Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah.” (Acts 3:19-20)

Let’s Pray:

Father, I come to you today. Please forgive me. Please help me. Thank you, Jesus, for paying the full price for me on the cross. I surrender to you. I ask you to be my Lord and Savior. Thank you for a brand-new start. Lord, please touch my life. Please restore what is broken. Lord, please bring healing. Lord, please break every curse off my life and my relationships. Lord, please rekindle a new flame in my heart for you. Help me to love. Please take my relationships with my loved one’s to a new level. I ask this in Jesus’s name. Amen.