THE HOME I DESIRE

While growing up as a teenager, I had models of homes I looked forward to having when I grew up. As one saw from family shows on the screen where you see the father of the home coming back from the office and his wife, the mother of the home, runs to hug, welcome and collect his jacket and suit case from him feeling happy for seeing her husband. The excitement of the children are not hidden too. With my tender mind, I saw that as what an ideal home should look like but unfortunately in most of those TV programmes, you see those joys cut short as various troubles came into the families which my tender mind could not understand.

In my neighbourhood those days, as I looked at different families and from what I saw, I almost thought that misunderstandings, separation, neglect of children, divorce, etc was part of marriage and homes. It was like what I pictured in my mind about homes was only a fantasy. My consolation was that my own home looked different in my early teenage years. I had a happy home where peace and joy reigned unlike in those other homes. A home where the man and woman could talk to each without the lips moving and yet understood what each meant. I understood the meaning of submission. Children could interpret the gestures of their parents. I loved it all. It was a happy home until a kind of storm blew and gradually many things began to crumble. Coming home from school was no longer as exciting as it used to be but praise God that I came in contact with Jesus and I saw I had a role to play even as a teenager. The Lord did it, when he came in, the crack was built-up and the broken hedges mended. The joy returned and the virtues I had seen before were restored. I saw a couple that lived cleaving to each other through to old age and their children knowing and loving the Lord. I came to know that what I had in my mind can actually be realized if the desired home is built on the right foundation. Every woman today has a picture of the home she desires to build.

What kind of home have you always desired and what do you have now? Well, the question is, what is the ideal home? Obviously, we all want a home of bliss, which reminds me of most novels and story books we read while growing up that often times ended with the statement “… and they lived happily ever after”.

If this must be, then the home we are talking about must have been built on a foundation that can carry it now and through to eternity. Matthew Chapter 7 verses 24 through 27 should be of great concern to us. Our homes must be one built upon the immovable Rock that can withstand the storms of life. A home where the individual members – father, mother and children have identified with the SAYINGS of the Lord Jesus and do them, is likened to a home having a solid foundation and built upon a rock. It is the prerogative of the woman, the home builder, to ensure this (Prov. 14:1a), but that can only be if she has made this Rock her God and Salvation (Ps. 62:1, 2, 6, 7). Unfortunately, what many women seek are homes built on wealth, fame and popularity, pleasures, prosperity, fun-fares and all that make for joy and satisfaction of this present life. Surely such women are blind, not realizing that successful and blissful home is not measured by the abundance of one’s possession or achievements (Lk. 12:15; Matt. 16:26). They are only building those homes on the sand (things that are transient with no eternal value) that is unable to hold the building in the face of challenges (Matt. 7:26-27). It takes giving the Rock and His sayings their appropriate place in one’s life that one can actually build and maintain a blissful and desired home. This Rock is Jesus. Most women’s dreams of a great family life despite all their efforts and input into seeing the marriage work and a strong home raised have remained shattered. Has the home you desired and longed for only ended up being an unrealized dream? I can confidently say ‘not to worry’. A recognition of Christ’s salvation role in your life, acceptance and confession of your weakness, sin and inabilities and a total surrender to His Lordship over your life seals the relationship. As you align with Jesus, the Rock, He will constitute the strong foundation for your home. He will fill the cracks, mend the hedges and breaches and build up the desolations of the many years. Thereafter, He releases the light, glory and blessings you have so long desired (1Cor. 3:11; Isa. 30:26; 61:4).

On becoming the foundation and the cornerstone of your home, you will necessarily need to set the stones of your building in reference to the cornerstone and no longer taking your bearing from the ungodly women and counsellors (1Cor. 12:14). Every wise woman and builder, on realizing this, is not careless as to the materials and resources with which she builds on daily basis. She seeks the will of God and allows Him to lead her into an uninterrupted relationship and walk with Him, an unreserved submission and respect for her husband, godly upbringing of the children, a fruitful multitasking business of the home front, career, business, ministry and an eternal bliss (Prov. 3:5-6; 31:30, 10-12, 28; 1Pet. 3:1-6). What an atmosphere of peace and joy for the family where the lamp on the altar lacks oil nor ceases to burn (family devotion, intercession and Bible study life). The Christian woman that ensures this can be sure that no matter the storm or rain, the home remains intact (Matt. 7:24-25) having the promises of God to defend it (Ps. 18:2; 62:2; 98:22; 128:1-6).

Your home is not yet what you have always desired? You can have it today as you take the above necessary steps. Below is a song every Christian woman should sing, pray and appropriate into her life and home on daily basis.

GOD, GIVE US CHRISTIAN HOMES

1. God, give us Christian homes!
Homes where the Bible is loved and taught,

Homes where the Master’s will is sought,
Homes crowned with beauty Thy love hath wrought;
God, give us Christian homes!
God, give us Christian homes!

2. God, give us Christian homes!
Homes where the father is true and strong,
Homes that are free from the bright of wrong,
Homes that are joyous with love and song;
God, give us Christian homes!
God, give us Christian homes!

3. God, give us Christian homes!
Homes where the mother, in queenly quest,
Strives to show others Thy way is best,
Homes where the Lord is and honoured guest;
God, give us Christian homes!
God, give us Christian homes!

4. God, give us Christian homes!
Homes where the children are led to know;
Christ in His beauty who loves them so,
Homes where the altar fires burn and glow;
God, give us Christian homes!
God, give us Christian homes!

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