Family.

I can honestly say that my family - our family - is my greatest joy!  I look forward to special occasions, holidays and random visits with our grown children and now our granddaughter.  The longing to know they are doing well, to see them succeed and to share in their lives is so deep!

From my youngest remembrance, I would play house, make little paper doll families, draw floor plans for houses, make up names for moms, dads and their kids!  A home and family is what I desired more than anything: more than a career, fame or fortune.  Since I grew up after the women's liberation movement and had any opportunities open to me for my future, why did I have such a strong drive for the traditional wife and mother roles?

In Bible times, family meant a secure future.  Having many children, healthy sons and daughters, would guarantee financial provision, care in one's old age, protection from harm.   Family was to be a safe and solid relationship built on love and trust. A widow was often vulnerable to being taken advantage of, and if she had no children, she needed to provide for herself or rely on others' generosity.  The Scriptures required the Jewish people to make sure orphans and widows were well taken care of and God punished people and nations for neglecting or abusing the weak, poor and alone.

God blessed my husband and me with three wonderful and healthy kids.  Raising them was a lot of work and took more wisdom and patience than we had in our natural selves!  Some of our greatest moments were at parent-teacher interviews when our children's teachers would commend us for raising such nice, polite and respectful kids.  Wow!  We knew we couldn't take the credit.  It was with the Lord's help that each of our kids has grown up to be hard working, Jesus-loving adults.  We are just so proud of them!

For those who struggle with infertility, that can be the most difficult journey with the deepest pain.  I've been spared that terrible heartache but I know many who lost little ones or could not conceive.  The loss, blame and guilt can be overwhelming.  

I think of Sarah, Abraham's wife and the many years they were not able to have a child.  God had promised them many descendants and it looked impossible for them to ever see that promise fulfilled.  Miraculously, God answered their prayers and longings.  Isaac was born!

I think of Hannah, the wife of Elkanah, who would cry out to the Lord for a child.  His other wife, Peninah, had several children and would mock and tease Hannah for her barrenness. At the annual feast in Jerusalem, she would pray and seek God in the temple, to the point that the priest thought she was inebriated!  But God heard her cries and gave her a special son, Samuel.  He became a great, godly prophet and priest.  

I think of Elizabeth, whose husband Zechariah was priest in Jerusalem.  They also were barren and had likely given up all hope. They were in their elderly years, past childbearing. What chance was there for this couple to have a family?  In God's graciousness, He granted them the blessing of a son, John the Baptist, who was the last in a line of prophets before the Messiah came.  He ushered in the Lord Jesus Christ, preaching repentance to prepare the way of the Lord.  

Not all who struggle with being single, being childless or being alone, have "happily ever after" endings to their life stories.  God has a unique purpose for each of His created ones and His only promise is that He will never leave us or forsake us.  He provides us with family, His family.  By faith, we can become part of this divine family with our heavenly Father, brothers and sisters who serve Jesus Christ, and extended families with bonds that are deeper than blood.

Our little granddaughter (and her parents!) came to visit us yesterday for an overnight stay.  Seeing her in the arms of our son, waving to us through the living room window, made our hearts leap with joy and our faces plastered with silly smiles!  Her hugs and giggles blessed us beyond measure.  When she would take our hand and want us to follow her and play with her, we experienced such happiness.  

How much more the Father longs for us to be with Him!  Jesus often talked about His joy in us and making our joy full.  Relationship with us is His greatest joy and He loves us so much that He died for us so that we can live forever with Him!

If you don't know that peace, that joy of being part of God's family, reach out to me or someone you know who is a Christian.  We'd love to share our journey with you.