When Enemies Are Family

 Advent is a time for great hope. As we look towards Christmas, many of us anticipate the great memories. Others, however may dread this time as meandering family dramas can be an overdose of emotions that we avoid at all cost. Micah felt our pain. This minor prophet lived during a time where "sons treat their fathers like fools, daughters oppose their mothers, and young women quarrel with their mother-in-law; your enemies are the members of your own family". Micah 6:6 Sound familiar?

But Micah doesn't throw in the towel and never speak to them again. He doesn't give up on his children and go serve in Christian ministry abandoning his own responsibilities to take on someone else's easier load. No, the weight God gave Micah was the weight God knew Micah could bench. Micah will not answer for his family's decisions, but he will answer for his response and so his response is this. "I will watch for the Lord: I will wait confidently for God who will save me and hear me.:" He goes on to say in Micah 6:8 "We have fallen, but we will rise again. We are in darkness now, but the Lord will give us light".

We use the word "toxic" and we walk away. Some have left our children in "foster care" systems to be raised  by nuns, the state, relatives, or even cell phones. We have walked away from parents because its hard and we have disagreements. We leave our siblings and we never speak again as our lives go our separate ways. We forget over the years what the initial fight was even about. Maybe it's time to RISE again, or turn on the light. Most likely you were in a season that you definitely are not in now. No blame or shame needed. You have grown. God is doing a new thing. Make the call. God doesn't chase addicts as this does not bring them home, but He waits earnestly at the door and when they do come home, He always throws a party. We are not all addicts, but some of us have been runaways (prodigals). Some recklessly lived our lives. God wants to restore them. Let him. For those who stayed the course, your family members desperately need your prayer, your love, support, your ear, not your lecture or your opinion. This Christmas, just listen
(best gift ever).