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Accepting the Challenge

“But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”¹

Today we are surrounded with people who want to have an opinion or voice in how we raise our children or lead our family life. However, as parents and leaders in our homes, God has given us the responsibility to study his Word, the Bible, to learn His will to guide our families. At times we may feel that we are on a lonely river headed upstream when most are going downstream, but that is okay! One day we will stand before the throne of God, and I can assure you that he will not be interested in what our friends, family, doctors, teachers, television, or internet had to say. He will ask US to give account of how we obeyed or disobeyed his Word while leading the family he gave us.

I encourage you to arm yourselves with courage and step onto the battlefield my friend. Satan is using a variety of ways to try to divide our families. He is working double time to somehow distract us from fulfilling God’s purpose. With social media and technology in general, we are losing sight of each other and the importance of personal interaction. I see couples separating, children straying, and this is among Christian families. It is time for us to take our roles as leaders in the home seriously. If we want our children to grow into strong and dedicated followers of Jesus, we need to be modeling that example daily. There was a decal my dad used to have on the window of our car growing up that read, “The family that prays together, stays together.” I have seen this prove true in my own family and believe that God is calling us to our knees to intercede for marriages and families, starting with our own. When we submit to God and His Word, we can be sure that He will give us the strength, wisdom, and victory over Satan’s schemes. Then we can stand and say with confidence, “As for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”

Suggested prayer: Dear God, I am sorry for allowing myself to get distracted from the great calling you have given me to be a leader in my home. Help me study your Word with conviction and I pray that you lead me so that I can lead my family in your path. Protect us from negative influencers who may want to make us stray. Despite what everybody else is doing, I accept the challenge to stand with my family and choose to serve you daily. This world needs you, and I pray that my family can shine your light bright with the way we live. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. In Jesus’ name, amen.

1. Joshua 24:15 (NLT).

Today's Encounter was written by: Crystal B.