Christian Marriage & Family Topic: Honoring the Christian Family!

Christian Marriage & Family Monthly Topic Each month a specific topic is chosen regarding Christian Marriage & Family.

This Month's Topic Is:

Honoring the Christian Family

"Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me" Matthew 18:5

How far the holy fragrance of the family altar goes! When childhood days are far behind The beauty of it glows. Though some things to my memory Are indistinct and blurred I still can hear my father's voice Expound the Holy Word. I did not heed its counsel then, Nor realize its worth, But now I know that shrine to be The sweetest place on earth. It proved a shield to keep my faith Undimmed through joy and care; The memory of that hallowed place-- My father's voice in prayer.

---The Family Altar

There is nothing more beautiful and heartwarming
than the family that worships the Lord together.
We do not honor a specific family today,
but rather, we honor what God called His families to be!

Can you just imagine the tears that must flow from heaven when God looks around and sees the destruction of His awesome institution, the family? This Holy institution was established by God to give parents the authority to help them with the task of raising children. To help prepare them to live lives pleasing to God by assisting the child's bringing of his/her own heart to the Savior. It is a selective authority that God gave parents to raise His little children.

This authority however carries a heavy warning though, not to be taken lightly. As we continue to read:

"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin,
it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck,
and he were drowned in the depth of the sea." Matthew 18:6

Parenting God's little ones, is a solemn obligation whereby we give our children God's love, instruction, wisdom, a sense of who they are, direction and purpose in their life, a heart turned to God, an understanding of the scriptures, and correction when necessary for intentional wrongdoing.

When parents are living God's truth, the children know they can obey their parents' word. When their life is a consistent example of a Christ like life, the children can grow freely and trustingly in their parents arms. Think of it like being in the arms of Christ. If a parents life is NOT a Christ like example set before their child, how then could those parents ask their child to obey? Can we honestly expect anything different from our children?

Each child deserves to have a place at home for rest, where he or she is accepted by the family. A place where family members build one another up, not tearing one or others down. This is the place in ones life where one should feel safe, loved, accepted, and peaceful, even when we make mistakes. The home is the place where we are forgiven in love, just as if Jesus were sitting right there. The home is the place where we can join our spirits together in worship to our wonderful Savior. The home is the place where our children can learn how to be faithful to God in their life, walk in the light, and find the joy and peace that comes by a developing a personal relationship with Jesus. In fact, the home is where we should get our first lesson in knowing God,...simply by watching our parents in action!

The child who is fully accepted at home
can grow and discover his own identity
without looking for meaning in tests of physical daring,
or in sexual attractiveness. James H. Olthuis (A Christian view of Marriage, Family & Friendship:

In some cases, even in Christian homes, children have endured severe punishment, strict unbending rules, and unloving parental authority which is the opposite of what God's love for us is all about. These children learn to obey their parents out of fear for their lives rather than an understanding of the incomparable Love of the Father. Children who are brought up in authoritarian homes under the guise of Christianity leave the home with improper guidance and knowledge of living a life pleasing to God. Understandably, and more than likely, they may even feel necessary to stray from this "kind of God" that they know. On the other hand being overly permissive and allowing children to have their every wish provides a situation where the child learns to obey because he becomes uncertain whether the genuine love of his parents is there without the gifts, or if the love is only attached by the "things" that he can have. Either families would be considered unhealthy and most certainly does NOT honor the Christian Family. These types of families have also avoided intimacy, which is so important in the bonding of a family. There is no other relationship like this on the earth.

"And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath,
but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord" Ephesians 6:4

Today, has God blessed you with a family? Are you as parents on your knees every day in intercessory prayer for them, for parental guidance and wisdom? Do you seek the Father in your daily life? Will your children grow up to look you in the eye and dearly respect you for the sacrifices that you made for them? But most importantly, will they have known the "truth" by simply looking at their parents lives? Then, will your children dedicate their lives and their childrens' lives to Christ,.....just as their parents did? So that, on your day of Judgement....do you know what Jesus will say to you about your raising of HIS precious children and the honoring of your family?

A Parent's Prayer

Dear heavenly Father, make me a better parent.
Teach me to understand my children,
to listen patiently to what they have to say,
and to answer all their questions kindly.
Keep me from interrupting them
or contradicting them.
Make me as courteous to them
as I would have them be to me.

Forbid that I should ever laugh at their mistakes,
or resort to shame or ridicule
when they displease me.
May I never punish them for my own selfish satisfaction
or to show my power.

Let me not tempt my child to lie or steal.
And guide me hour by hour
that I may demonstrate by all I say and do
that honesty produces happiness.

Reduce, I pray, the meanness in me.
And when I am out of sorts, help me, oh Lord,
to hold my tongue.

May I ever be mindful that my children are children
and I should not expect of them the judgement of adults.
Let me not rob them of the opportunity to wait on themselves
and to make decisions.

Bless me with the bigness to grant them all their reasonable requests,
and the courage to deny them privileges I know will do them harm.

Make me fair and just and kind.
And fit me, oh Lord,
to be loved and respected
and imitated by my children.

Amen

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