Family First

There are many things that God decided to do that Scripture explains which I find
incredible. Yet none compare with His decision in the beginning recorded in Genesis. It
is remarkable that the first institution God established was the family. From the family,
everything else would be developed on the earth. Direction, responsibility, and influence
would all flow from the family as mankind carried out God’s mandate to rule over every
living creature.
Everything God established was designed to sustain the family. From creation to the
Rapture, God’s plan is built around the family. His creation of male and female led to the
union of husband and wife, and from that union came children. As families grew, clans
and tribes were formed. From these tribes came cities, nations, and ultimately the world
as we know it today.
It was through the family of Abraham and Sarah that God promised to bless the entire
earth (Genesis 12:1–3; 18:18–19). The importance of family is also seen in the
qualifications for leadership in the church, where a person must demonstrate the ability
to manage his household well (1 Timothy 3:4–5). This is because the relationship
between husband and wife reflects the foundational principles of how the church
functions (Ephesians 5:32).
For those who are single, God provides the church as a surrogate family, where
believers grow together in fellowship, support, and spiritual maturity (Acts 2:42–47;
Ephesians 3:14–15; 4:12–16).
A father’s God-directed role toward his children reveals important principles about how
God relates to His own children (Luke 11:11–13; Hebrews 12:9–10). As a father lovingly
provides, guides, and disciplines his children, he reflects the character and care of our
Heavenly Father. A man who fears God and faithfully serves his family positions himself
to receive God’s blessings, both in his home and through the life of the church.
Scripture teaches that the man who walks in the fear of the Lord will experience
blessings in his family and even the favor of a long and fruitful life (Psalm 128).
Family is therefore central to all that God does. Even thousands of years later, mankind
still recognizes the family as one of the most important foundations of life. Today we
have confused family with many other things and have made it an option rather than a
significant and essential part of our lives.
A cute little girl was sitting on top of a pile of luggage in a hotel lobby while her parents
were at the desk registering for their room. A sympathetic lady asked the little girl if they
were visiting relatives in the city.
“Oh, no,” the girl replied. “We’re going to live at this hotel until we find a house. My
Daddy has a new job, and we had to sell our house and move.”

The lady responded kindly, “Oh, it’s too bad you don’t have a home.”
The little girl quickly replied, “Oh, we have a home—it’s just that we don’t have a house
to put it in.”
This little girl understood something that many adults miss: a house is not the same as
a home, and a home is built by a family.
God understood the importance of family when He chose Abraham. The Lord was not
only concerned with Abraham’s personal faith, but also with how Abraham would lead
his household. Scripture says:
“The LORD said, ‘Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, since Abraham will
surely become a great and mighty nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be
blessed? For I have chosen him, so that he may command his children and his
household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice,
so that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him.’”
(Genesis 18:17–19, NASU)
God chose Abraham not simply to start a nation, but to lead a family that would walk in
the ways of the Lord. The strength of the nation would grow out of the strength of the
family.