As a family, we have all types of experiences. Some are great and some are not so great! In Luke 13, Jesus was faced with lots of stuff and was given lots of warnings to stop or else. I find it comforting to know that Jesus experienced some good days, some bad days, and some really bad days.
This tells me two things:
1) Jesus understands and can relate when I have a bad day.
2) He gives me a lens to look through when experiencing a bad day.
That is a hope-filled lens of eternity with Him. I know that may not take away the pain immediately, but it gives me something to look toward that is much greater than the bad I’m facing at the moment.
This hope is what Jesus is pointing us to when He states, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door.” He knows it’s hard when times are tough and keeping our faith is difficult. He knows it is all worth it, and what’s even cooler is that Jesus knows that we are worth it!
Today as a family, ask each person to share the best part of the day and the not-so-good part of the day. Give time for everyone to think and try not to pressure anyone to share if they do not want to. Giving ourselves time and space to share our days with the people we can trust allows us to stop, breathe, see each other, listen to each other, and help each other hold tight to the hope that Jesus is with us in the good days and bad.
Prayer: Father, we are blown away by You and how amazing You are! Thank You, God, for sending Jesus so that we can know, love, and follow Him. Without Jesus we would have never really grasped how much You want to understand us, help us, and most of all, love us. Help us to hold tight to the hope we have in You! Help us to share You with our friends by how we live out Your love each day!