Family is dear to the heart of God. He willed that we create earthly families to reflect His heavenly kingdom and to bring Him glory. God desires for each of us to belong to a family. Our earthly fathers are designed to depict His fatherly, guiding, strong love for us. Our earthly mothers are designed to depict His nurturing, life giving, beautiful, inviting spirit. The Lord is both beauty and strength and together man and woman are His imperfect earthly image. We are a flawed, broken people, though, and the devil loves to attack the most beautiful reflections of God on this earth. We are in pain and we create pain. Because of this, the Lord’s intent for families often doesn’t come to fruition. Divorce, abortion, abandonment, neglect, abuse etc. are far too common in this world. But, I have good news; He desires to restore that.
The foundation of society is family. Families are the basic unit that most government systems and policies are formed around. Fathers and mothers have the responsibility to raise up their children in the way they should go (Proverbs 22:6). How, then, can we expect society to flourish if the foundation is broken?
This month I am doing ministry in Cambodia, a beautiful country with a painful past. In the seventies Cambodia experienced a mass genocide carried out by their own government that killed one fourth of the Khmer (Cambodian) population. Traces of this horrific manslaughter can be found all over the nation. The pain and darkness is evident and my heart was so heavy as we entered a “killing cave” here in Battambang, a place where thousands of Khmer were brutally murdered. Approximately 24,000 mass graves have been found. Practically an entire generation was killed, including many children and babies. But, let me tell you something else about Cambodia. Joy is so evident here and the Lord desires a revival and renewal of this nation. From ashes comes beauty.
The children we are working with live on the streets. Most of them are orphaned, abandoned, or their parents are in jail or severe alcoholics. They come from some of the most broken families I have ever witnessed. When we pick them up in the morning they are generally caked in dirt, crying, with new bruises and cuts. Physical abuse is normal here. The pain in their home situations is so evident and so heart breaking. They are the lowest of the low in Cambodian society and are harassed by their own people.
Yet, they have a family. At the center we volunteer at, the staff wakes up at 5 am every weekday morning and picks them up. They give them baths, feed them hearty breakfasts, comb their hair, dress them and bring them to school. They play with the preschoolers while the older kids are at school and let the children who were out begging all night sleep in safety. They clean the center, do devotions, go to the market to pick up groceries/new clothes and supplies for the kids and wash the children’s clothes. They pick the kids up and feed them lunch. They color with them, tickle them, hug them, and play soccer with them. They teach them and help them with their homework. They dance with them. The encourage them. If the children are sick they bring them to the doctor and keep them at the center and care for them. They wipe their tears and kiss their boo boos. They discipline them. They tease them. They chase them and laugh with them. They teach them about the Bible and their Heavenly Father and worship with them.
The Lord is restoring families in Cambodia and in the world. Families don’t have to be made up of blood relatives. Families can be made up of aunts, uncles, adopted parents, or friends. The only required ingredient is love. God calls each of us to family. We were designed to flourish in healthy community. You may not have had the perfect father or family situation. Maybe you were abused or have abused. God wants to redeem you. He wants you to experience family and love and wants you to shine for His kingdom through it. Whether you pick up street kids and love them as your own, send encouraging messages to your best friend, adopt a child, sit and talk with an elderly person about life or just bring joy to one another, He has placed opportunity for family all around us and he wants us to use our talents and His spirit to embrace it.
Today I feel empowered to revive and rebuild our broken world one family at a time. Here in Cambodia I already see the redeeming love and I hope that we can bring it all over the world. I pray that each of you embraces the joy and redemptive power of family. This may start with giving your mom a call, praying that God shows you what family He has for you or forgiving someone. This will include you reaching out to your brothers and sisters in Christ. If we can’t get the foundation right we can’t begin to work on the rest. Thankfully, one day Jesus will come and take those who are a part of His kingdom and His perfect family to spend eternity with Him in beautiful, joyous community. He is the perfect father who will never let us down. Until that day comes, let’s work to build His Kingdom here on earth.
Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
I will not forget you! -Isaiah 49:15
