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Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. (Psalm 127:1-2)
Genesis 1-3 is clear that God is Sovereign and a God of order, a God of provision, an intimate God, a just God, and a God of grace and mercy always. God is a just God and a God of grace and mercy.
When we think about what that means for how God cares about families today, especially those that are in chaos, we should look at the first family. Here’s what God said to Adam in Genesis 2:16-17: “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘You may surely eat of every tree of the garden,but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.’”
Adam and Eve didn’t experience a physical death but they did experience a spiritual death in the Garden. Their sin separated them from God. We see God as a just God because He set a boundary and consequence up front, and He followed through with it. I think that is something for us to recognize about God. When He sets boundaries and commands for living, He is also faithful to share with us that if we don’t do life His way, we will reap the consequences of our disobedience. He is no respecter of persons, gender, etc. He is a God of grace and mercy in that He doesn’t always give us what we deserve. We see that in the Garden in Genesis 3:22-24:
“Then the LORD God said, ‘Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—’ therefore the LORD God sent him out from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the Garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.”
My precious sisters and brothers, God had a plan for the family. He intended for the husband to lead, protect, and provide for the wife and children. That means on all levels — not just a paycheck! It means physically, mentally, emotionally, and, most important, spiritually.
(Let me pause on this spiritual note for a sec: Have you accepted the free gift of salvation through Jesus and because of his work on the cross? If not, he is calling you today, so don’t hesitate to surrender your life to him if you have not already. You will not regret this life-changing decision.)
For the wife, He intended for her to be his helpmate. That means to be an encourager, to come alongside him physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually to cheer him on to be all that God intended for Him to be. And those children were intended to be the fruit of that awesome commitment between a husband and wife doing life God’s way! And yes, those children were meant to bring laughter, joy, and even tears at times.
God never promised there would be perfection in a household, because there are no perfect people. But God did have a plan for how a household should function. And when a household is built according to God’s specifications, it is similar to building a house in real life. If the foundation is strong, the building materials are good, and the craftsmanship is right, when the storms come the house may take a beating, but it withstands the storms, and there will always be storms . . .
We purchase health insurance for protection; we purchase home insurance, and car insurance. Why in the world would we not want “God Insurance” for our families? I ask you today to stop the bus!
Evaluate!
Die to self!
Assess!
Remodel!
It is NEVER TOO LATE to remodel and do it God’s way. But know this . . . It is costly! You will have to be willing to die to self and put your spouse first!
Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain!
Loving you all so very much!!
His,
Vickie
Copyright © 2022 by Vickie Arruda @https://purejoyinternational.blogspot.com/2012/11/stopping-chaos-in-family.html/ No part of this article may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from Lifeword.org.