Who Holds First Place In Your Family?

“Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” John 17:3 (NLT)
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33 (NKJ)

What are your family’s boundaries? What belief is at the heart of everything you do with your children? Unless you have given it serious thought, you may not know. Any group or organization operates best from a clear mission statement that keeps all activities focused and consistent. Our family, too, needs to operate from a powerfully held truth, so that we teach our children to live purposeful, unswerving lives. John 17 takes powerful words of truth and states them in a vibrant way that helps us set boundaries that will bless and direct the lives of our family. Every story of the Bible, every character who struggled with faith and deeds, and every historic image portrayed in God’s Book all come back to this truth: forever life depends on belief in the one true God.

As mothers, we hold an amazing position of influence that allows us to make certain our home reveals a place where God holds highest priority. With God’s guidance we should be able to see when other things like entertainment, school activities, sports, extracurricular activities or busyness is moving God out of first place in our family. If these things, though not bad in themselves, are keeping family members from worshipping God together, or praying together as a family, then we need to reset our priorities and place God where He belongs. By praying and watching out for the balance and boundaries, we reinforce in our children the importance of knowing God. Our home will beautifully reflect what makes God pleased, and our children will grow up knowing what the boundaries should always be in their lives.

We must watch out for our family, and keep God first in all we do. Our children will learn to follow him all their lives because of the example we as moms and dads set before them.

Lord, may we always seek you first in everything we do and say. May our lives and our homes reflect that God is our highest priority. May we as parents and other Christian adults of influence be examples of Christ for our children to follow. In Jesus Precious Name, Amen.