Relevant Worship in the Home is the Most Important Arena of Worship

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:8-12

To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. For, “The one who desires life, to love and see good days, Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.  “He must turn away from evil and do good; He must seek peace and pursue it.  “For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, And His ears attend to their prayer, But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Insights:  These final verses pull it all together regarding how worship is relevant in our homes.  Peter gives us a summary statement with a fairly lengthy list of character traits that are true of people who are deeply in love with the Lord and their family.  The reason I can say these traits are worshipful traits is because apart from the Holy Spirit enabling us to live these characteristics out in our lives, we are only going to be successful a very small portion of the time.  Let me take the first characteristic as an example.  In our own power we might be harmonious on occasion, but if we are left to our devises and self,  we will become self-centered and combative for our “rights”.  We soon measure all actions of our spouses and children through the vantage point of what will “I” get out of it.  If “I” can’t get anything out of it, then I will fight for my “rights” and not live at harmony with my family.  Christ in us, however, changes our position and we become one who seeks peace because Jesus is the Prince of Peace.  We seek to build our family members up and not tear them down because we no longer wish to return evil for evil, but rather be a source of blessing for the family.  The reason this blog is titled Relevant Worship in the Home is the Most Important Arena of Worship is because the way we worship the Lord in our love and respect for our spouses has a major impact on our children who are watching us and learning how to treat a future spouse.  What they see will have major impact on whether they actually develop a faith that is their own or just something generic that is not real.  Beloved, give your whole heart to worship the Lord as you love and respect your family and allow this worship to impact your children and grandchildren.

Questions:

1.  Do you understand that the way you treat your spouse has major impacts on your children and grandchildren?

2.  Have you come to the place your recognize how your attitude in the home reflects your worship of the Lord?

Prayer: Father, help me to be the spouse You have called me to be.  Let my life reflect Your love and impact my children and grandchildren.  Let me honor You in my marriage and family.  Amen.