Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Faith Formulation in the Family


Joseph C. Mathew
Long Island MTC, NY
1 Happy is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways. 2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be happy, and it shall go well with you.


What is fear of the Lord? Fear is profound reverence or awe. It’s an attitude that leads to an action where it leads us to live our lives in certain ways.  It is obedience to God.  Psalm 128 exemplifies the life of a man who fears the Lord and walks in His ways. When we fear the Lord and walk in His ways, He promises us a blessed family with fruitfulness, prosperity and longevity. It’s not just one person, God blesses the entire family. Our off springs will be like olive shoots (They stem from the roots, sustaining life under the shades, eventually replacing the parent tree and bearing fruits for centuries, but maintaining all the qualities of the parent tree).  We all strive to secure a future for our children, but are we instilling a reverence for  our God in their lives so that they can eat the fruits of their labor?

Our lives on earth are a walk of faith. Our pursuits and priorities constitute the work of faith. Our faith is nurtured when we walk with God. When we fear the Lord and walk in His ways we will eat the fruit of our labor; blessings and prosperity will be ours, for now and forever. The family is the first building block of every person and the nation.  No one has more influence in the development of our children than we, the family.  The privileges and responsibilities of passing the faith from one generation to next begin at home. Home is the first and basic institution established by our God. Our children must be able to see and experience the presence of our living God in our families and in our everyday activities. Our words and deeds should exemplify our living God.   

We may want to ask; are we leading by example?  Is our home being built on the fear of the Lord? Do we live out our faith in our attitudes, words, and actions? Do we show reverence and obedience to God? Do our children see the fruit of the Spirit in us, not only in our homes but also in our churches and communities?  Children are the future of this world and we must instill the reverence and obedience for God in their lives; the reward is greater than anything else we can offer to them in this world. 


PRAYER

Father, we thank you for the institution of family. Helps us to live a life in reverence and walk in your ways.  Amen
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
“All that we have accomplished You have done for us” (Isaiah 26:12)

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