By Matt Rodgers, Pastor to Families with Children
Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them. Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. (Colossians 3:18-20)
A Godly home is the most precious and fulfilling place this side of Heaven. A home that is aligned with Scripture is a God blessed home. A Godly home includes a wife who submits to her husband as to the Lord, a husband who loves his wife like Jesus Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it on the Cross, and children who honor and obey their parents.
A wife who submits to the Lord and to her own husband experiences a freedom and fulfillment that she can have in no other way. Out of respect and honor a godly wife, conscious that her home must have a head, gladly shows submission and devotion to her husband. The love and submission God speaks of in this text creates an atmosphere of growth in the home that enables both the husband and the wife to become all that God wants them to be. The wife's submission is never to be forced on her by a demanding husband. Wives are not to be rebels who belittle, nag, or run their husbands down. The godly wife is to pray for her husband, respect him, encourage him, and as long as he does not try to lead her into sin, submit to him. God will bless you and your home.
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An integral part of any Christian home is a loving husband who demonstrates Godly leadership. Husbands, you are to sacrificially put your wife’s needs above your own. You are to love her with the kind of love described in 1 Corinthians 13. A godly husband never treats his wife as a doormat. The godly husband is to meet his wife’s needs like he would those of his own body. Love your wife as you want to be loved and lead her as you would want to be led. A godly wife will have no problem submitting to a husband who is sensitive, selfless, and sacrificial towards her. Love your wife as Christ loved the Church and experience a God blessed home.
God’s plan for children is for them to listen to the instruction of their parents and carry them out. As long as a parent does not tell a child to do something sinful, the child living under his/her parent’s roof should respectfully obey them. As a child learns to respect, fear, and obey parental authority in the home, outside the home there will be respect, fear, and obedience with regard to other authority figures and ultimately, toward the authority of God. Neglecting to obey God’s command of parental obedience brings great sorrow, if not now, then surely later in life. But if obeyed, it pleases the Lord and blesses the home. According to Scripture, children who obey and honor their parents are imitating Christ.
As your family lives according to the Scriptures and submissively lives for Christ, you will experience a God blessed home where each member will have no problem submitting to one another and seeking to serve one another.
Possible activities for the day
1. Block out some time today and have family game night or recreational activity
2. Be sure to tell every member of your family today, “I love you.”
3. Take a few minutes in family prayer time. Let each member of the family express a prayer request. Let the other members take turns praying specifically for one another.
