God in My Family?
When I was first asked to write this article, I did not register the question mark after the title. It was only three days to the submission date that I took further notice, and it dawned on me that the article might not be as simple as I had thought.
Having the title posed as a question made me pause to consider whether the presence of God is in my family. How evident is His presence in my family?
If I am honest, putting God at the centre of the family is often challenging, with the competing demands of work, parenting, etc. Time set aside for bible reading with the kids often becomes time to complete schoolwork or for a last-minute spelling revision.
God calls parents to take every opportunity to teach and convey His Word to our children. In my family, the latest soccer news, like which team won, how many saves Alisson Becker / Hassan Sunny made, is an almost daily discussion topic. In Deuteronomy 6:6-7, God reminds me to make talking about Him and His commandments an everyday affair, so that it becomes a daily habit. “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
My son goes to Fairfield Methodist Primary, and there’s an unmissable verse on the front wall of the school building that reads:
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” – Proverbs 22:6
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, to “train” is defined as “to form by instruction, discipline, or drill”. If one plays a sport, one would know that training requires hard work over a significant amount of time. Similarly, God calls parents (and those in positions of care and responsibility for others), to put in the time and work to train our children according to His Word.
Being in public service, I can attest that we place importance on performance indicators to help determine if something is on track. Thus, may I end off by suggesting some indicators to answer the question “God in my family?” (or “How evident is God in my family?”). I think that similar to having the spirit living in us, having God in the family can be seen by the fruits present and exhibited in our household – that of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
Manda Tay
… AND LET’S READ WHAT 10-YEAR-OLD OLIVIA PHUA HAS TO SAY ABOUT GOD IN HER FAMILY…
I have not been baptized, and there is a good reason for it - I am waiting for my grandfather to get baptized with me.
My grandfather reads bible verses; he’s even sold bibles, but he has not agreed to be baptized. When he was attending school overseas, his money was stolen. He needed a job, so he sold family bibles. A family bible is a bible filled with beautiful pictures, a page where you can trace your family tree, and a page to record important family events. We believe that even then, God was already working in his life to protect him, provide for him and show him how much he is loved by God.
Now he reads bible verses in Cantonese to teach me Cantonese. I enjoy spending time with my grandfather and learning from him. I thank God for giving me a grandfather as wonderful as he is. I hope he will agree to get baptized soon.
EDITOR’S NOTE: If you have something you would like to share on this subject, please write in to mayoon@singnet.com.sg, as we think it would be a good way to encourage each other to have God’s presence prevail in our families.
