Even though Christmas has passed and a New Year is on its way, I can't help but reminisce about this past week. You see...I've lived over 23 years with one of God's greatest gifts - the blessing of a family. This past Monday, I picked my brother up at the SF airport and spent Christmas eve with my fiance's family in Stockton. On Christmas day, my brother and I drove to Oakland to enjoy a family gathering with our relatives: aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and a newborn baby!
As I continue reading through Psalms, I skipped ahead this week to read Psalm 68 where we see God's heart for families. In Psalm 68:6, we see that God care for the lonely and the hurting. God provides homes for the homeless. This tells me that God is not a far off deity. He is not oblivious to people. He is not calloused to the cries of His people. He is not blind to our needs. No...our God cares for people. He hears every crying baby, child, woman, and man. He sees our poverty, sickness, and hurt. And God provides for the lost, the homeless, and the poor.
I want to share multiple Bible translations of the Psalms 68:6 so we can see the rich beauty of this passage:
Psalm 68:6 NIV (New International Version): God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.
Psalm 68:6 ESV (English Standard Version): God settles the solitary in a home; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.
Psalm 68:6 CSB (Holman Christian Standard): God provides homes for those who are deserted. He leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious live in a scorched land.
Psalm 68:6 KJV (King James Version) God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.
Psalm 68:6 NKJV (New King James Version): God sets the solitary in families; He brings out those who are bound into prosperity; But the rebellious dwell in a dry land.
Psalm 68:6 MSG (The Message): God makes homes for the homeless, leads prisoners to freedom, but leaves rebels to rot in hell.
So this year, I am grateful for having my family, my loving family, my wonderful family...And am also excited to start a family of my own very soon. In almost exactly 8 months, I will be married to my college sweetheart. My prayer is that in this holiday season we thank God for giving us a family to help us through the loneliness, the pain, and the suffering that we call life. Most of all, I hope you join me in praising God for giving us a precious gift - the blessing of belonging in God's family and our earthly families as well.
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