Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Family: A Recreation of Relationships
Joshua 24: 14 – 22
“As for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24: 15
 When God created human beings, He established the institution of family During those days, “corporate” worship was basically family worship. God’s relationship with human beings existed through the establishment of the family. The Israelites did not have a formal place of worship until the Tabernacle of Moses. Prior to this, their place of worship was the home, and the corporate unit of worship was not the congregation, but the family. We have a rich tradition of daily family worship, which we have practiced for generations.   Sadly today in just one generation, this great tradition has died.  We no longer have regular family worship in our homes.  For most of us, all spirituality is exercised in the church.  There has been a complete abdication of our responsibility for spiritual leadership and family worship. Corporate worship in churches was never meant to replace family worship in homes. What can we do to reinitiate God’s design for our homes?
 Consciously choose to make our home His home
Joshua made a choice for his home. His choice was for his household to serve one God only.  It was a conscious choice against idolatry and for faithfulness.  Similarly, we have to choose to live according to God’s design for us in our homes and families.  Is your home His home? You cannot simply say, “Well of course it is, because I’m a Christian”  it involves much more than that.
 Welcome His presence to our home
A home is truly blessed when God’s presence is welcomed and encouraged.  Instead of welcoming God’s presence in our homes, we welcome many false gods into our homes. In most of our homes there is a box that is more welcoming than anything else. This box has the power to shape our home life, mold our children, corrupt our values, destroy our relationships, and control our lives.  Not missing a serial has become more important than having family prayer.  We have to reprioritize and welcome God’s presence back in our homes.
 Reestablish daily family prayer in our homes
The salvation of our families is of paramount importance. We cannot save our families; only God can. But we can provide in our homes an environment that is conducive to the spiritual growth of our families -- a home that always points our families to Jesus.
Prayer: O Lord, help us to welcome you back into our homes and families.  Amen.
 Thought for the day: Our kids will make their own choices; but we must point them in the right direction.


Koruth Mathew, Long Island Mar Thoma Church, NY.

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