Fight for Your Family (Lent Devotion 2021)
“THE FAMILY IS AT THE HEART OF NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURES. THERE IS NO OTHER WORK MORE IMPORTANT THAN FATHERHOOD AND MOTHERHOOD. IT IS SACRED. WE MUST REMEMBER OUR FOREFATHERS FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO RAISING THEIR CHILDREN AND PUTTING THEIR CHILDREN FIRST. FAMILY WAS THE CENTER OF THEIR LIVES.” AL POOLEY, FATHERHOOD IS SACRED MOTHERHOOD IS SACRED
Traditionally, Native American parents understood and carried out their responsibility to love, serve, and be devoted to their family. But today, many of the people we serve come from broken families. Whether they were raised with alcoholism, drug addiction, or sexual abuse, they became accustomed to the brokenness of the family unit.
It doesn’t matter what your culture, race or age is, satan is attacking our families. He wants to destroy the togetherness family brings and that is exactly what he is doing.
Matthew 19:6 says, “So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let
no one separate.” God brought my husband and I through addiction and brokenness. We surrendered to Him and joined as one flesh, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health. God restored what was taken from us and He gave us three children and a ministry to Native people. Even with these wonderful blessings, we see our marriage under attack, day after day.
We have a story, a story of restoration through the saving Grace of Jesus Christ. This is a big story and we give God all the glory, honor and praise for ransoming us from eternity in hell. We openly share this story with the students at Haskell and all the families that walk through our doors. We sing our praises to God and truthfully share.
We have been under attack for years and the most recent attack almost separated our family. I almost walked away from my husband, until God stepped in and reminded me of this verse. Nehemiah 4:14 says, "Remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses." Satan wanted to ruin the miraculous things that the Lord has done for my family, for my children, and their children, and their children. Satan wanted to ruin the validity of our testimony to all those we have shared it with by separating our family.
Psalm 78:5-7 says: “For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the coming generation would know them—even children yet to be born—to arise and tell their own children that they should put their confidence in God, not forgetting His works, but keeping His commandments.” I was reminded of this commitment that I made to God, my husband, my children, and their children, for generations to come, to the ministry God gave us, to the people we serve and to their families.
God put my husband and I together and it was for no man to separate. We bring the Good News to our Native brothers and sisters through our family and commitment to God.
How do we expect to share Jesus and the ability He ONLY has to mend broken families if we are willing to turn our backs on God and the commitment, we made to him?
Our family is our testimony to be shared with our children and future generations. We speak of a Heavenly Father that never gives up on us. We fight for our brothers, sons, daughters, wives and houses. We will remind them that family is the heart of Native American culture.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for family. Thank you for your grace and mercy. We ask that you renew the purpose of family in the heart of Native people. Help each of us to fight for our brothers, sons, daughter, wives and our houses.
Deon Prue
Lawrence, Kansas