Ephesians 2:4-9 - "Never Too Far Gone"

What a strange time of prayer. The Lord woke me up around 5AM to pray for a family I knew when I was growing up. The mother and father were both strange, weird...different. I'm not sure how to describe them. I remember as a young teen praying for the children to be protected from whatever was going on in their home. I knew things weren't right but yet I didn't know what was wrong. This family went to church every Sunday so they had to be 'OK' was my thinking. After the children were grown, the couple divorced. This did not make sense to me yet it did. I couldn't imagine being married to either of them. I heard later the children scattered and had little contact with their parents. That did not surprise me at all. I have not heard anything about them for years so I was surprised when God woke me to pray for them. But as I prayed He shared there was many families just like them in this world. So I began to pray for all families. I prayed for...

• ones I know who are going through tough times
• ones I know with the parents struggling due to the enemy having a stronghold such as alcoholism
• ones with one or both of the parents struggling with physical issues
• ones with children who have a disease
• one family where the father/grandfather was taken off life support and put in Hospice 
• children of divorced families to not be pulled by one parent against the other parent
• children who feel like they are not as important to their parents as their parents work, friends, etc.
• couples who are empty-nesters and have found they don't know each other
• couples who are questioning why they married their spouse to begin with
• parents who feel neglected by their adult children and vice versa
• elderly people who are lonely, especially those with children who do not contact them
• families to realize the importance of having God as the center of their life

After I prayed, I asked God to open my eyes to people who are hurting. I asked Him to put me in their path and show me how to love them with His love. I thought back on the family He woke me to pray for. I have no idea where any of them are so I prayed God would put people in their path to help heal their hurts. I also asked God to open eyes to believers for people in their lives in similar situations. I prayed for parents to be loving and supportive of their children and to realize what a gift God has given to them. I prayed for children to realize what a gift God has given them in their parents. I was thinking about a couple teen boys I saw on the news who wanted nothing other than to be adopted before they turned eighteen. When asked what kind of family they wanted, one said something about just wanting one to love him. That is sad. There are so many people in this world who just need to feel loved. Sometimes they are the hardest to love because they have been hurt so badly. Sometimes they are the easiest to love because they have the greatest desire to feel love. Oh how I pray for more people to feel the love of Jesus through me. I also pray for more people to have the same desire in their heart. As I was praying, the words to "Never Too Far Gone" came into my mind...

There's no distance too far, that I can't reach you
There's no place that's so dark, that I can't find you
Anywhere that you are, if you need proof
Take a look at these scars, and know I love you
Doesn't matter, doesn't matter, doesn't matter what you've done
You are never, you are never, never too far gone
Oh ah-oh, ah-oh

No matter what we have done or not done, God loves us. There is nothing 'too bad' to take away His love. As parents, we all make mistakes. But just as God forgives us, we need to ask our children for forgiveness. There are some parents who disagree with this. They say that will show weakness to their children and that should not be done. I believe it shows strength. It takes a lot to admit we've been wrong. Jesus sets the example for us to have a forgiving heart. Even if it something we did years ago, there is still time to make things right. When we do, our relationship with God will strengthen and most likely so will the relationship with the one we apologize to. God's love covers a multitude of sins when we repent. It will also cover all of our actions when we live in and through Him.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the privilege to pray for families. Thank You for bringing this song to my mind which shows how nothing we do can take Your love away from us. Father, cleanse me so You can fill me with more of You so I can share Your love in a new, different way today. Guide my words, actions, and attitude throughout this day. May Your love flow from me so people will see/hear You instead of me. Father, be with all those who are hurting in their relationships with family members. May they find Your love today. Heal their hurts. Love on them in a way they will know they are loved. Thank You Jesus for being The One To Love Me. Amen.