Your Family - Your Mission Field
Posted on January 7, 2008 | Filed Under Turning Our Hearts, You ARE A Part Of History!
Living in the good ole’ US of A, the land of opportunity, the land of freedom. How do we spend our freedom? What ARE our priorities? Do we spend our time working and slaving for monetary things? I’m afraid that we do. We’ve fallen into the trap that so many families fall into. An even sadder aspect underlies this topic.
Families within the Body of Christ, those who SHOULD know better are caught up in the very same snare as non Christians. How has this happened and why? Could it be a lack of strong role models within the church? Maybe for the majority of Christian families part of the snare comes with the decision to place their children into the public school system where children learn all too quickly that Mom and Dad need the PS baby sitting system so that they can work to buy THINGS. Peer pressure eats away at the few values a child may have, for example, the latest fashions that are here today and gone tomorrow only to come right back around again!
What should a God honoring family look like? The answer to that question will be as broad as the various denominations.
Have we considered for a moment where God’s heart is in this equation? What is His will for the modern day family unit? Surely we must have everything! The latest, greatest, best and fastest! Why, if not then we must not be blessed in His eyes! Do you really believe this? God WILL provide each family who looks to Him, everything that family needs according to and to accomplish His will.
It’s no secret, it is written and can be found. God’s plan for the family can be found many places in the Word.
For he issued his laws to Jacob;
he gave his instructions to Israel.
He commanded our ancestors
to teach them to their children,
so the next generation might know them—
even the children not yet born—
and they in turn will teach their own children.
So each generation should set its hope anew on God,
not forgetting his glorious miracles
and obeying his commands.
Then they will not be like their ancestors—
stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful,
refusing to give their hearts to God.Psalm 78:5-8 (NLT)
It’s not just an option, but a command to learn the laws of the Lord so that each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands. It’s VITAL to set our HOPE ANEW on God. WHY? Could it be that God wants the very best for HIS children? In following God’s path, it is there that we find TRUE joy and happiness. It can’t be bought in a store. It can only be found in the HEART of God Himself. God will NEVER, EVER lead us astray or on a path to desolation. He created the family! What is the reason the Lord instructs us to employ such diligence in this area with our children? Because the Lord wants our hearts. So that our children will not be stubborn or rebellious when it comes to giving Him their hearts. Look at what Paul tells us in Ephesians,
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord. Ephesians 6:4 (NLT)
In the modern day Christian family, most fathers are so busy OUTSIDE of the home working long, long hours for those things that perish or have no eternal value. The children barely have an evening to speak with either parent about ANYTHING that happened during the day much less devoting any time to Godly instruction.
If you are in the midst of raising a family or are just starting out on that path, please listen. Your GREATEST calling and mission field is the family that God gave to YOU! Your greatest joy in this life will not be found in those things that perish. Invest in the ETERNAL. In the souls of those whom the Lord has entrusted you with. Minister to those around you as a family unit. As God places people in the path of your family, demonstrate the love of the Father to them in the midst of your children. I challenge you this very day to set your priorities straight before the Lord. He WILL help you. Even if your children are grown, it’s not too late. God is merciful toward you and longs for you to look to Him to meet YOUR every need.
In His Love,
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Dear Cathy,
Hey again! Thank you for your comment on my blog! Did you really have a dream about trying to find me and my website?
Your new look is great and I am so impressed with all the different features on your blog, like the Bible tool box!
It’s so true what you wrote, that things come and go and why should we be laboring for the things that do not satisfy and rob us of time with our families?
Being that I am single and don’t have any children, I think of this in light of having parents who are aging and how God tells us to HONOR them. How many older folks are alone, because everybody is “working” or “taking care of their family”. Well, as I remember it correctly, those parents ARE our family!
So, yes you get an A++ on this article, because you can’t build a family if you don’t value them as God’s Word shows us. And what you VALUE, you invest in!
Ths is good teaching and I know that all who read it will be praying for our families and praying that they will
be examples to the world of how God loves and honors us!
God’s love and blessings to all,
Elaine
[...] was really blessed by Cathy Nagle’s article “Your family Your Mission Field”. She simply reaffirmed my mission and purpose right now at this stage of my life…and although [...]
Hi Cathy,
I love your new site! You’ve been a busy lady. I’m looking forward to having more time to look around and read some more. Blessings, Phyllis