Faith, Family and Friends

Morty woke up promptly at 6:30 AM prepared to meet the day. By 6:50, he was showered and shaved and into the first coffee of the day. Five minutes later, Dory was awake headed into the washroom to get ready for the day. Timing is everything for this couple. The twins are awake at 7:15, fed by 7:30 and then into the bathroom, clothed and prepared for school. Kids at the school by 7:50, Dory at the office by 8:15 and Morty at work precisely 8:30 AM. Barely a dozen words were spoken between the four all morning and the tension is palpable all throughout the morning routine. Most of the day is filled with stress and heated discussion so when it is time to share over the evening meal, the family is immersed in their own stress relief and spend little if any time in conversation. The family environment in this family is repetitive, stagnant and on the verge of destruction.

For Morty and Dory, the pursuit of making enough to live comfortably has overshadowed the joy they once shared in a simpler time. Years before, this loving couple talked the night away, woke up together and shared breakfast and loved each other beyond belief. Sunday was a time of worship and of sanctity, nothing got in the way of the Sabbath and nothing was more important than their faith in Christ. Bible studies with friends, gatherings with family during the holidays and worshipping the Master were priorities until the wants of the world started to impinge on their lives and the relationships that had been built up in faith and love began to break down and fall apart. Work encroached on Bible studies, stress and overwork interrupted quality family time and in the end, the focus on worldly goods destroyed a vibrant, loving family.

Think this is just a story? This happens all the time and families are destroyed when the focus is wrongly directed. To God, we are His family and when we are in pain, He is hurts. We can preach and preach that God is love, wants nothing more than to be in relationship with us and is focused on each and every one of our lives yet when time starts to get short, the first relationship to suffer is with God. Prayer time, that time when we stop all activities and just communicate with our Creator, becomes the first to suffer, then gathering with others of faith follows. Time is adjusted so more can be accomplished for work at the expense of time with the faith community and the Lord. Once again I say, a growing and strong relationship is when each give 100 percent to the other. Love God as He loves you, let that spill over to your family and friends and you will see the power and strength of true love. The world is but temporary and will fade to dust when time of earth is finished. God is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. Share your faith, your time, your love with those around you. Let them know that Jesus saves and when they believe, then the relationships formed on earth will endure forever in Glory.

Sunday service streams on Facebook Live at https://www.facebook.com/todd.macdonald.3158 and starts at 10:30 am MST. We invite you to interact with us as we live stream and join us as we celebrate.

Shalom
Pastor Todd