Skip to main content

Rebuilding Our Christian Family and Households

One of the increasing benefits of the current pandemic is the recognition of the long awaited desire of many workers to work from home. Because of the harsh fatality of the virus especially for the elderlies and those with respiratory illnesses, the new work arrangement at home is highly advised. This is a big win for workers with families and lives with them.


Although there are other emerging issues on the isolation measures of each nation, we cannot deny that it has great opportunity for each member of the household to benefit from it. One of these is revisiting the status of our relationships with each family member and rebuild it in an approved and delightful ways like a Christ’s led family project.

For sure, as individual is unique, each family household also differs in many occasions. Paul has given many exhortations and advices from his letters to churches with regards to our conducts for households. I wanted to encourage you to join me in looking into one of it in Colossians 3:18-25.
Colossians 3:18-25



18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. 22 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.


This passage is so impactful for a heeding heart for the voice of the Lord through the wisdom given to Apostle Paul. He is encouraging each member of the family to conduct their relationship in these manners as he also elaborated in his other epistles. But this one is exhorted in short, simple and impactful central theme that in any of these relational works, we do it for the Glory of God alone.


Wives - Submission to their husbands as the authority of Christ represented with them.


Husbands - Love their wives with care and compassion. You represent Christ, therefore, you also manifest His Love towards your wives and households.


Children - Obedience to parents as it is pleasing to the Lord. Obedience is a form of giving honour which is the commandment with a promise guaranteed by the Lord.


Father - Lead with authority but not provoking children to get discourage, instead, encourage them at all times as the best driving force to teach our children.


Servants - Authentic and Genuine Obedience at all times, not only when others can see us or just want to please others only. Practicing a servant heart is practicing fear of the Lord, such is the beginning of wisdom which will flow to the family who have such atmosphere and environment.


Paul’s advice that to be reminded of these conducts, let us think about that everything we do is for the Lord and not for men around us. We know that the great audience knows our ways, our hearts, and our thoughts. If one of these are rebellious, there will be great consequences in our household relationships and attracting evil in the hearts of each member and inviting punishments in long run which may have lasting effect to our relationship with one another.


Let us take this advantageous period of time in one in a century event of our lifetime that in the midst of chaos, our home grows in a loving relationship while buying back the time that was missed.
NOW is another great opportunity, DON’T missed it again.


Thanks be to God for giving us a family!
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Explore The Most Read Post for the past year

Put Our Hope In God, not in uncertainties

(Midweek Devotions, 1 Timothy 6:17-21 - 25 Oct 2023) 1 Timothy 6:17-20 17  Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.  18  Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.  19  In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 20  Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge,  21  which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith. Grace be with you all. We are in the final last 5 verses in book of First Timothy, an important pastoral letter which is very helpful for any man of God...
Post a Comment
Read more

Man of God - Pursue, Fight, Take Hold

(Midweek Devotion - 1 Timothy 6:11-16, 18 Oct 2023) 1 Timothy 6:11-16 11  But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 12   Fight the good fight of the faith . Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13   I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, 14   to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15  which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16  who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. In the parting words of Apostle Paul to Timothy, aft...
Post a Comment
Read more

Paul's Description Of A False Teacher

(Midweek Devotion, 1 Timothy 6:3-5 - 04 Oct 2023) 1 Timothy 6:3-5 3  If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 4  he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5  and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. The bible is quite vocal in its warning against (1) a false prophet or false teachers, and (2) a false teaching or false doctrine. Jesus’ ministry had repeatedly criticise the Jewish religious leaders in their time and keep on correcting them in many occasions or warning the crowds or the Jewish people who follow their teachings. Paul in this part of his epistle to Timothy is similarly giving some warning to his child in faith and dealing...
Post a Comment
Read more

Shared Responsibility: Do Not Be A Stumble Block

During my advanced military training way back on my university days, we were thought of the very common principle “Obey first, before you complain.” This discipline has embedded to me and I allow myself to submit to any person that has authority over me, most especially to our God. In the same way, I am sharing the same principle to others if there are opportunities and with shared responsibility. Before, my idea of being obedient to this principle is simply following any orders given by my superior. And when it came a time for me to impart this to others, I feel the burden while sharing it to them. I have learnt that there is hidden joint responsibility to it which is to be a role model to my subordinates. The moment I told them about the value of full obedience without any hesitations, then the burden of bearing the influential authority and its responsibility felt heavier. Thereafter, everything I am about to say, to act, and to think must be carefully presented to avoid them copyi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Both May Or May Not Prosper, So Do It Anyway!

On the very first time that I decided to start the new FBGC church service in Point Cook, I feel worried about the possibility that it may not work for me. Moreover, I was also ordained to be the local pastor in this new community of believers. Although I have that desire in my heart and seeing the vision in my mind for what this church will look like, I really have no idea that I will serve as the pastor of this church, given my lack of experience in this field. With my doubt, I did not stop to do what God has called me to perform. We open our home to serve as our initial venue for the opening of our church service, we organize according to what task each pioneering members can carry out, we plan for some activities that help us to grow as a church for both workers and members like Beginners Bible Class, organizing Cell Group for smaller group bible studies and fellowship, and many more. At this moment, we have just moved to a new place God has prepared for us to serve as new place of...
Post a Comment
Read more