Building a Happy Home

Tuesday 4 October
READ: Gen. 2:15-25
MORE LESSONS: Col. 3:18-21

God has a plan for each of His children's home, presently or in the future. As the initiator of the institution of marriage, His desire is that no home fails. It is important for us as God's children, who want to be part of His heavenly desire in the place of marriage, to know God's original purpose for this institution and there are three major ones.
One, marriage was ordained for the mutual societal help and comfort which husband and wife ought to provide for each other, both in prosperity and adversity. Two, it was ordained in order that the natural instinct and affection implanted by God be allowed and directed aright, that is pure sexual life without fornication. Finally, it was ordained for procreation, that godly seeds may be raised on the earth.
Of all these, God's topmost priority from the beginning is not procreation, which unfortunately today is our number one purpose for marriage. His priority actually is for help, in prosperity and in adversity, And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him: v18. And God repeated this same thing in verse 20 …but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. Every other reason for marriage is God's plan but being an help is His priority. The question now is, “How helpful are you to your spouse or do you intend to be when you get married?” Until you are a helper to your spouse in all things: spiritual, physical, material, economic, health, etc, you are not yet building a happy home.
There are a few things and principles that God has set as standards and rules which, if applied, can make a happy home.
1. Husbands must love their wives unconditionally (Eph. 5:25).
2. Wives must submit to their husbands without reservation (Eph. 5:22).
3. In honour, they must prefer one another.
4. They must endeavour to keep the unity of the spirit.
5. They both must leave to cleave (Eph 5:31).
6. Finally, God hates divorce and husbands and wives must recognise and agree that according to God's Word, divorce is never an option (Mal. 2:16).
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Prayer/Action
* Father, help my home to fulfil the divine purpose for establishing it, in Jesus' name.
* Father, make me a true help and a complement for my spouse, in Jesus' name.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Though my beginning be small, yet shall I greatly increase; I believe in the top and I shall get there, in the name of Jesus.