Last weekend, I had a chance to “skype” with my in-laws from my hometown. It is great to talk to them face-to-face through network, even though the network is sometimes, a little bit moody – voice and facial expression tend to be out of phase, once a while. In the past, we relied on phone lines to call them. Not only we couldn’t see their faces, but also they would rush to end the call due to the pricey minutes of the call. This reveals the fact that there is always a price, could be either monetary or non-monetary, to pay when communicates with others.

Last Friday night, we had a small group gathering at a friend’s house, discussing a topic called “win-win communication”.  I was the one supposed to bring in “necessary” equipments for the discussion; due to the nature of presentation was using a video. Before the gathering starts, the host family called me and checked to see whether I have the equipments ready, most importantly, if I have a computer. I told them, “yes”.  The bad is I didn’t even bother to check the equipments loaded in my car since I assumed the equipments have everything ready. Not until the gathering was about to start and I was setting up the equipment, I then realize that I forgot the computer. So, we were forced to use a different set-up in order to start the meeting. I apologized to them for doing such a “lose-lose communication” demonstration from the beginning.

In the video, the hosts focused on sharing their personal experiences and views on how to achieve a good communication in marriage and family life. According to the hosts, we need to realize that:

1. God establishes the marriage. (Genesis 2:20-22)

2. Spouse is one’s bone of the bones and flesh of the flesh, not the children. (Genesis 2:23)

3. A man has to leave his parents and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. This does not mean we should ignore our parents and don’t love them. (Genesis 2:24)

4. Husband and wife can be as frank as both were naked, and they felt no shame. (Genesis 2:25)

5. Husband and wife need to commit to cultivate their communication – nothing can affect their mutual relationship.

Most of us would agree with me that a healthy family would result in a healthy society and therefore a strong nation. Conversely, a dysfunctional family would cause a great harm to  children’s growth and results in a great damage to the society and weaken the nation. A healthy family is characterized by a win-win communication among family members. Because they are well communicated and having a strong relationship. Considering ourselves in the God’s family, do we have a win-win communication with our Heavenly Father? Are we committing to cultivate a good communication with Him? These are questions worthy of our pondering.

To “skype” with our Lord is always a hotline and is always available – There is no bandwidth limitation and therefore there is no stuttering like a moody network in this world. The only requirement is we need to come before Him and talk to Him face-to-face frankly. Oftentimes we may prefer to hide from Him because of our wrong-doing that is not pleased to Him. Please remember that He is waiting on the other side to “see” us. He promised, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 我們若認自己的罪 ，神是信實的，是公義的，必要赦免我們的罪，洗淨我們一切的不義。(1 John 1:9)”

My dear brothers and sisters, have you “skyped” with our Lord recently? Please don’t forget that He is waiting to see us and to talk to us.