Christian Family · Home and Family
As parents, what do we encourage in our home?
6 min read, approximately
Isaiah 54:17 (home)
“No weapon formed against you will prosper, and you will condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord, and their salvation will come from me, says the Lord.”
Biblical promises left unapplied
In our services, we constantly hear the preacher proclaim biblical promises over the congregation. Afterward, we hear great applause and some people saying “Amen”… For example, how many times have we heard “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”?… Here is the verse:
“And if it seems wrong to you to serve the Lord, choose today whom you will serve: the gods your ancestors served beyond the river, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)
Without a doubt, this is a great promise for a parent… but very few truly believe it and decide to live it out…
But what, then, is happening with parents?
Let us read…
“But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers, deceiving yourselves. For anyone who hears the word but does not do it is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror. He looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what he looked like. But whoever looks carefully into the perfect law, the law of freedom, and perseveres in it, being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, will be blessed in what they do.” (James 1:22-25)
Sadly, many of us forget these promises!
And why do we forget them?
Let us read…
“This book of the law shall never depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may observe and do everything written in it; for then you will make your way prosper, and everything will go well for you.” (Joshua 1:8)
We forget them because many of us wait until we go to church to open the Bible again and remember these promises…
And why do we not meditate on God’s Word in our homes?
Let us read…
“These are the ones sown among thorns: those who hear the word, but the worries of this age, the deceitfulness of riches, and desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.” (Mark 4:18-19)
We do not meditate on God’s Word in our homes because we are so busy that we have no time left to read the Bible… Does our family deserve this?
Do we want to change this?
If so, it is time to understand that as parents we have a great responsibility before God for our home… We must take on the commitment God has entrusted to us as heads of our households. If we want to do so, we can begin with these 4 steps:
\1. Let us encourage reading God’s Word in our home
“These words that I command you today shall be on your heart; you shall repeat them to your children and speak of them when you sit in your house, when you walk along the road, when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as bands between your eyes; you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)
Do we want life for our family?
“He answered and said: It is written: Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)
As a family, we need to meditate on God’s Word!
\2. Let us encourage prayer to God in our home
“Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18)
“For before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it completely.” (Psalms 139:4)
It is vitally important for our family to understand that God desires to hear us, speak to us, guide us, and instruct us, and that we can experience all this through prayer… It would be very sad and selfish not to share this with them…
“For if anyone does not provide for their own, especially for those of their household, they have denied the faith and are worse than an unbeliever.” (1 Timothy 5:8)
Praying to God together is a good starting point for coming into agreement as a family!
\3. Let us affirm that God is perfectly wise to guide our household’s decisions
“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain; unless the Lord guards the city, the guard keeps watch in vain.” (Psalms 127:1)
“Cry out to me, and I will answer you and show you great and hidden things that you do not know.” (Jeremiah 33:3)
In our home, we must emphasize the importance of consulting God about every plan, project, and dream before carrying it out, because he will always have the best way for us to do it.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. Acknowledge him in all your ways, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil, for this will be medicine for your body and refreshment for your bones.” (Proverbs 3:5-8)
The last thing we want is to make bad decisions, and just one bad decision can have serious consequences!
\4. Let us affirm that God is omnipresent
“Am I a God who is only near, says the Lord, and not a God far away? Can anyone hide in secret places where I cannot see them, says the Lord? Do I not fill heaven and earth, says the Lord?” (Jeremiah 23:23-24)
Our family generally knows that God sees everything, but they also need to know that God is omnipresent, able to hear us at any moment, in any place, at any hour. His schedule will never be too full to attend to us; rather,
“Before they cry out, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will have heard.” (Isaiah 65:24)
Many of us have a habit of reading the newspaper, watching the news or sports, listening to music, and so on… But what about the responsibility God entrusted to us? Shall we begin making time for this vital need?
As parents, what do we encourage in our home?
_**Remember to stop by the Songbook
May God continue to bless you, and may you continue to have an excellent day in Christ Jesus!