SCRIPTURE FOCUS
Ephesians 5:22-25, 31-32; 6:1-4 - Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her … “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. … Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
PRAYER FOCUS
The concept of family originated in the heart and mind of our Father God. From the beginning, He declared that it was not good for man to live alone and created a helper for man. From this union of a man and a woman, God also planned for children to result. We can see after the fall of man and the entrance of sin, however, that families often did not function in a healthy manner. Brother killed brother; children disobeyed parents; spouses were unfaithful. Thanks be to God – Jesus came to redeem families from the effects of the fall of man.
The Apostle Paul reveals the interactions of a Christian household in our Scripture focus today. The book of Acts describes the importance of family in salvation when entire households received the gospel and were baptized. Families are important building blocks for society and the Body of Christ. We all have a familial position – in a biological family or in the spiritual family of God.
RESPONSE
Let’s begin our prayer focus today with thanksgiving for our families. Thank the LORD for each family member; include biological family members and brothers and sisters in Christ. Ask the LORD to bless them and give them an increased revelation of the love that the Heavenly Father has for them. Let’s also pray the Scripture focus for our family members. Ask the LORD to give each wife the grace to be submissive, trusting the LORD.
Ask Him to give each husband a Christ-like love for his wife, being willing to give himself up for her. Ask our good Heavenly Father to give parents the wisdom to love and train their children in the instruction of the LORD. Pray for the children to be obedient to parents and to have a heart that is always tender toward the LORD. Finally, let’s pray for the prodigal children and ask the Father to open their eyes to the goodness of the Lord that it might bring them to repentance.