A Prayer for Strong Sibling Relationships - Your Daily Prayer - April 7

A Prayer for Strong Sibling Relationships
By Chelsey DeMatteis

Bible Reading:

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” - Matthew 5:16

Read or Listen Below:

I was able to hear my older and only brother share a message at his church a few weeks ago. I didn't tell him I was coming, so I snuck in the back with my toddler and slid into their infant room to watch from a TV. As I listened and watched him teach a message about being persistent in prayer, in faith, and relationships, I was overcome with emotion. I thought to myself, "he was made for this." The way God knit his heart together with gentleness, compassion, conviction, and love was on display, and he shared it with great integrity.

I was quickly taken back to the fall of 2011. I was new to my faith, a baby believer at best, but hungry to know Jesus the way my brother did. My life was far from prettied up and perfect—quite the opposite. I was messy and deeply broken. But he loved me anyway. He was persistent in his relationship with me and made sure it was known I had a seat at his table.

That fall, I began attending church regularly with him and his friends. From there, they invited me to their small group. They included me in all their outings. They loved me like Jesus because my brother loved me like Jesus first. A few months later, when I decided to get baptized, I couldn't think of a better person to have in the water than him. That alone tells you how special he is. Loving, patient, kind, quick to listen, and slow to speak. Loves and lives like Jesus. Not perfect, but seeks the perfect one. And these only scratch the surface of who my brother is.

When I think of the gift my brother has been in my life and in the lives of anyone else who has encountered him, I think of how he reflects Jesus everywhere he goes. Matthew 5:14-16 says, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

Listening to him share that message with his congregation all these years later solidified what I've known all along. It is a gift and honor to be his sister. Having the relationship we have today is a blessing from the Lord. It's been hard fought at times. There have been years when tension was felt, but there have been more years when we've been in each other’s corner, and for that, I'm grateful. I pray that as the years go on and we grow old, we will cling to one of the most sacred relationships God put into existence - the relationship of a sibling.

Let's Pray:

Father, thank you for the gifts of your siblings. It is a gift to go through life with someone else on your side. Someone who chooses to love you no matter what. I pray that my heart will stay consistent and persistent in loving my sibling. Please help me find ways to serve, encourage, and be there for them. Holy Spirit, I ask that you nudge me to reach out when my sibling struggles. I want them to know they are loved, valued, seen, and cared for. Convict me, Lord, if there are ways that I stir up strife in our relationship without knowing. Give my sibling and me a heart of repentance for ways we have hurt each other. If there is any animosity, help to heal that tension and make it new. I ask all of this in Jesus' name, amen.

Photo Credit ©GettyImages/MichaelTruelove

Chelsey is the voice behind the Living with Less Podcast and author of the 52-week devotional More of Him, Less of Me: Living a Christ-centered Life in a Me-centered World. She writes devotions for Lifeway Women's Journey Magazine, Crosswalk.com, and iBelieve.com. She also writes Bible reading plans for the YouVersion Bible App. Chelsey lives in Ohio with her husband and two children. You can connect with her on Instagram @chelseydematteis and at her website ChelseyDeMatteis.com.

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