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Life
in the Family
By
Pastor Jack Hayford
A slow sunrise
on a cloudy day.
We had rolled
out of our beds at 4:00 a.m., grabbing oranges and bananas for breakfast
as we hurried to the car. After driving fifty miles up a dark highway,
we found ourselves huddled together--Anna, the three children, and
myself--on a lonely promontory, shivering in the wind.
We had come
to watch the sunrise over the Grand Canyon.
It took a long
time.
The clouds
hanging in the east caught and held the light of dawn much longer
than usual before the actual rays of the sun struck the painted
canyon walls. It was beautiful, and worth planning toward and waiting
to see.
But . . . it
did take a long time. Especially for people standing in the cold.
The family
memory I've just described might be appropriate for you today for
a couple of reasons:
First,
as an encouragement to plan unforgettable memories for yourself
and your children.
If you, Mom
and Dad, don't do this for the little ones growing up under your
roof, who will? And for you singles . . . don't forget the ministry
of memory-maker is available to you, too. There are nephews and
nieces--or ones you might adopt for a few hours--who are just waiting
for someone to splash new colors on the canvas of their memories.
Second,
as a picture of what "life in the family"--the Body of
Christ--is all about.
Reaching out
to a wider circle of believers holds the promise of unlocking doors
of a full range of New Testament life-and-love-together-in-Jesus
for everyone of us. But it may be uncomfortable to begin with. It
may take longer than we would prefer to draw close to people.
The thought
of some kind of "forced closeness" frightens all of us.
Rest easy. Love doesn't force, but it does attract and nourish.
The objective?
It's grander than the Grand Canyon. Yet the splendor of that magnificent
gorge does hint at the warmth and the depth of relationship the
Father intends us to know with Him, His Son, and every other member
of His forever-family.
But it takes
time.
In the meanwhile,
stay close together, won't you? Even if it is a little uncomfortable.
One of our boys didn't while we stood at that lookout. although
he didn't approach real danger, I did turn from watching the cloudy
sunrise to see him leaning against the guardrail . . . peering over
the edge . . . one full mile . . . to the bottom!
Oh, what dry-mouthed
panic, My shrieked summons echoed off the canyon walls: "Get
back here! And stay with us!"
It's cold.
It's cloudy. And in our world today, it's a long way to the bottom.
Let's stay together as a family . . . and share a few unforgettable
moments. |
Jack
Hayford Ministries
14800 Sherman Way, Van Nuys, CA 91405-2233