It was a regular Well-check appointment for my youngest son...his pediatrician is like a member of the family and knows us well. As the visit progressed, she naturally asked about how things were going with the rest of the family. After my son’s quick response of “Fine.” (I’m thinking I’ll have to go to his appointments with him forever, right, so that all info is communicated?!), I interjected that I was still concerned with the “lack of connection” within some of his family relationships. The conversation continued and his Dr. made the comment that studies show that the effects of divorce continue for several generations following. I heard nothing else after that. The pain of divorce runs deep, there is no denying that, but to think “SEVERAL GENERATIONS???” Of course, we feel this to the depths of our soul if we’ve experienced the pain of divorce, but the thought that we (us and our children) not only have to experience the devastation personally, but it’s passed along several generations to my grand-children, great grand-children, great-great grand-children.....NO.
The next Sunday, I was still reeling from the “several generations” theory in church. Worship began and I found myself soul-sick, weak, down-cast, head hung. I hear the melody and semi-familiar words from the worship leader....
“The Lord bless you
And keep you
Make His face shine upon you
And be gracious to you
The Lord turn His
Face toward you
And give you peace
The Lord bless you
And keep you
Make His face shine upon you
And be gracious to you
The Lord turn His
Face toward you
And give you peace...”
**AND I LIFT MY EYES**
“Amen, amen, amen
Amen, amen, amen
The Lord bless you
And keep you
Make His face shine upon you
And be gracious to you
The Lord turn His
Face toward you
And give you peace
As we receive, we agree, amen
Amen, amen, amen
Amen, amen, amen (amen, amen)
Amen, amen, amen
Amen, amen, amen”
**AND I SINK IN. YES, LORD.**
“May His favor be upon you”. **(YES!)**
“And a thousand generations” **(A THOUSAND GENERATIONS?!)**
“Your family and your children” **(EVEN MINE?)**
“And their children, and their children” **(FOR GENERATIONS?!)**
“May His favor be upon you” **(YES, LORD.)**
“And a thousand generations” **(YES. THERE’S HOPE.)**
“And your family and your children
And their children, and their children” **( I CLAIM IT)**
“May His favor be upon you
And a thousand generations
And your family and your children
And their children, and their children
May His favor be upon you
And a thousand generations
And your family and your children
And their children, and their children
May His presence go before you
And behind you, and beside you
All around you, and within you
He is with you, He is with you
In the morning, in the evening
In your coming, and your going
In your weeping, and rejoicing
He is for you, He is for you” **( THEN WHO COULD BE AGAINST ME?)**
“He is for you, He is for you
He is for you, He is for you
He is for you, He is for you
Amen, amen, amen
Amen, amen, amen (may His favor)
May His favor be upon you
And a thousand generations
And your family and your children
And their children, and their children
May His presence go before you
And behind you, and beside you
All around you, and within you
He is with you, He is with you
In the morning, in the evening
In your coming, and your going
In your weeping, and rejoicing
He is for you, He is for you
He is for you, He is for you
He is for you, He is for you
He is for you, He is for you
He is for you, He is for you
He is for you
Oh He is for you
Oh (amen, amen)
Amen, amen, amen
Amen, amen, amen
May His favor be upon you
And a thousand generations
And your family and your children
Their children, and their children (may his presence)
May His presence go before you
And behind you, and beside you
All around you, and within you
He is with you, He is with you (in the morning)
In the morning (in the evening), in the evening
In your coming, and your going
In your weeping, and rejoicing
He is for you (He is for you), He is for you (He is for you)
He is for you (He is for you), He is for you (He is for you)
He is for you (He is for you), He is for you (He is for you)
He is for you, He is for you
He is for you, He is for you”
_ The Blessing, Song by Cody Carnes, Elevation Worship, and Kari Jobe
So, all the pain, all the internal shame, all the guilt....He can shoulder it. He shouldn’t have to, but He is willing. WHY? Because he is FOR US. And if He is for us, who can be against us (including ourselves with our self-talk of brokenness?!) Romans 8:31
Lysa Tyrkerst recently said, “Forgiveness doesn’t require reconciliation. Sometimes reconciliation isn’t possible or safe.
Forgiveness is your decision that no one can take away from you. It’s you honoring God. It’s you honoring your healing process. It’s you deciding you’ve suffered enough because of what happened.
It’s empowering and it is beautiful.
Reconciliation requires that both people are willing to do the hard and humble work of coming back together.
If they weren’t willing to honor the work necessary to come back together in a healthy way, that doesn’t make you a failure. Not even close.
Your redemption by God is not held hostage by someone else’s choices. It’s between you and God.
You are loved. And your life can absolutely be a redemption story.❤️”
Lord, As I continue to do my part to heal, and as I do all I can to provide healing opportunities, encouragement, love and support for my children, Let our lives be a redemption story.
...And my family, and my children, and their children, and their children. Amen (Hebrew translation, “Let it be so”, “So be it”)....As we receive, we agree...AMEN.
