THE ROLE OF JESUS CHRIST IN THE HOME by Patsy Weiser
Our home is our first church. The home and family were created by Christ Himself for His use and glory and for our spiritual growth. Therefore, Jesus should be at home in our home. Everything should center around Jesus. This is what makes a Christian home. However, before Jesus can become the center of our home, we must receive Him into our hearts as Savior and Lord.
The home was perfectly designed for each member’s spiritual growth. Each family member has a job assigned to them by God. If we each do our job, the family will glorify God and run smoothly. Each job God has given us is difficult. In fact, it is impossible. That is where spiritual growth comes in. We must depend on God to help us with our job. This dependence promotes spiritual growth.
God designed marriage. He wants us to stay married. The marriage that lasts a lifetime is the perfect place where God can develop our relationship with Him. When we get married, husband and wife become one. A marriage must be based on commitment – to each other and to Christ. Jesus is the answer to a happy and successful marriage. Marriage based on anything else does not stand a very good chance of lasting. Spouses often blame each other for their problems. However, this is never the issue. The issue is our relationship with Jesus. The more we fall in love with Him, the more we will love our spouse. Jesus is the answer to all our problems and needs. Commitment to Jesus is the key to a successful marriage.
God created a holy order for each family. God is the head. Next comes Jesus, then the husband and then the wife. He expects us to honor this holy order. With this order come special jobs and responsibilities.
The husband is given a difficult task, one that he cannot do unless Jesus helps him. He is to be the head of his family – the leader and decision maker. He must lead a holy life and set a good example for his family. He leads by example and must live as he wants the rest of his family to live. Through this all, he must keep his eyes on Jesus and not worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Prayer is vital. The more a man depends on Jesus to guide and help him, the easier his job as head of his family will be.
The woman is also given a difficult job. Her job is to submit to and obey her husband. This is not a popular concept in this day and age of women’s rights. She is the pivot point in the family. She sets the mood or tone of the whole family. Woman was created to be a helpmate for her husband. She is there to support, praise and pray for her husband. By submitting to her husband, she helps him grow spiritually also. She does all this, not because her husband deserves it, but because it honors Christ. Again we see that a woman’s job is impossible without Jesus. He is definitely the answer.
Children are gifts from God. They are given only one job by God and that is to obey their parents. Like mom and dad, their job is designed for their spiritual growth also. Children learn to obey Jesus by practicing on their parents. This is a difficult task, but it is the first commandment to end with a promise: “yours will be a long life, full of blessing”.
As with everything in our lives, Jesus should be in charge of the disciplining of our children. Pray for your children and turn them over to Jesus. The job of rearing children is too difficult without Jesus’s help and guidance.
As I’ve brought out over and over again, each member of the family is given a difficult job by God to do. The only way to do this job is to turn to God for help. Jesus is always the answer. Surrender yourself to Him and pray about everything. Prayer is the key. This is how we communicate with God. He is a talking God. He wants to talk to us and be involved in all aspects of our lives. He does not want us to worry about anything – instead bring it to Him in prayer. Leave the results up to Him. If we trust in Jesus Christ, we will experience God’s peace. This is more wonderful than the human mind can comprehend. Praise the Lord!!