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How to Make Your Home a Foretaste of Heaven - Establishing A Godly Home
In this post you'll learn how to establish a godly home that reflects the love and grace of God. Discover the common challenges and practical steps to overcome them. Find biblical principles and tips to create an atmosphere of peace, rest, refreshment, communion, and compassion in your family.
“I believe that a godly home is a foretaste of heaven. Our homes, imperfect as they are, must be a haven from the chaos outside. They should be a reflection of our eternal home, where troubled souls find peace, weary hearts find rest, hungry bodies find refreshment, lonely pilgrims find communion, and wounded spirits find compassion.” Jani Ortlund
What Is a Godly Home?
Just as a godly marriage should reflect the relationship that Jesus has with the church as His bride, so too, a godly home should reflect our heavenly home.
A godly home is about reflecting the love and grace of God. It isn’t about perfection where everything always goes smoothly, but about cultivating a place where challenges are faced with faith and hope.
A godly home is not a place where everyone always agrees on everything, but it is a place where differences are respected and forgiven.
A godly home is not a place where people are isolated from the world, but a place where people are equipped and encouraged to serve the world.
Is It Difficult to Create a Godly Home?
Creating a godly home does not come without its challenges. Any time we strive to establish a Christ-like attitude within our hearts as well as within our homes, we are going to come up against opposition. Some common challenges in creating a godly home are:
Idolatry. Sometimes we can let other things take the place of God in our hearts and homes, such as convenience, entertainment, prosperity, and self. We need to worship God without rivals and seek His kingdom and righteousness first (Matthew 6:33).
Hypocrisy. There are times when we say one thing and do another, or act differently at home than we do at church. This can damage our credibility and influence with our family members. We need to practice biblical love that is patient, kind, humble, forgiving, and truthful (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).
Confusion. It is so easy to be swayed and influenced by the world’s values and opinions more than by God’s Word. This can lead to uncertainty and conflict in our families. We need to esteem the Bible as the ultimate authority and source of truth for our lives and our homes (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Spiritual warfare. We are often unaware of the enemy’s schemes and attacks against our families. He can use various means to bring division, temptation, sin, and oppression into our homes. We need to guard against these things in the spirit and pray for God’s protection and blessing over our families (Ephesians 6:10-18).
Lack of intentionality. Sometimes we can be passive or complacent in building a godly home. We can neglect to set goals, make plans, or take action to cultivate godliness in ourselves and our family members. We need to be careful and intentional in taking steps to make our home godly, such as reading the Bible together, praying together, worshiping together, serving together, and enjoying together (Psalm 101:2).
How Do We Overcome the Difficulty Of Creating a Godly Home?
There is no easy or quick answer to this question, but here are some possible suggestions:
Repent and surrender. The first step to overcoming any challenge is to acknowledge our sin and weakness and turn to God for forgiveness and help. We need to confess our idolatry, hypocrisy, confusion, spiritual blindness, and lack of intentionality to God and ask Him to cleanse us and fill us with His Spirit. We need to surrender our lives and our homes to His lordship and follow His leading.
Seek God’s wisdom. The second step is to seek God’s wisdom and guidance for our specific situations and challenges. We need to study His Word and apply it to our lives and our homes. We need to seek godly counsel from other believers who can support us and advise us. We need to listen to God’s voice and obey His commands.
Take action. The third step is to take action and implement the changes that God wants us to make in our homes. We need to be consistent and diligent in pursuing godliness in ourselves and our family members. We need to be proactive and creative in finding ways to honor God and bless others in our homes. We need to be faithful and persevering in doing what God has called us to do.
Trust God’s grace. The fourth step is to trust God’s grace and power to work in us and through us. We need to remember that we are not alone or without help in building a godly home. God is with us and for us. He will provide us with everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). He will also reward us for our efforts and crown us with His glory (Hebrews 6:10).
How Can We Make Our Homes a Foretaste of Heaven?
How can we create an atmosphere of peace, rest, refreshment, communion, and compassion in our families? Here are four biblical principles and practical tips to help us:
Seek God first. Jesus said, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). The foundation of a godly home is a personal relationship with God. We need to prioritize spending time with God in prayer and reading His Word. We need to seek His will and guidance for our lives and our families. We need to trust Him with our needs and worries. As we seek God first, He will fill us with His presence and power. He will also bless us with His provision and protection.
Love one another. Jesus also said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35). The mark of a godly home is love. It is imperative that we love our spouses, our children, our parents, our siblings, and our relatives with the same love that God has shown us. We must express our love through words and actions and we need to show kindness, patience, forgiveness, generosity, and humility. We must also strive towards avoiding anger, bitterness, resentment, selfishness, and pride.
Serve one another. The apostle Paul wrote, “Serve one another humbly in love” (Galatians 5:13). The attitude of a godly home is service. And just as Jesus came to serve others, we to, need to consider the needs and interests of others above our own. We can express acts of service by helping each other with chores and tasks and by supporting each other with encouragement and prayer. We can share our gifts and talents with each other and we can strive to be compassionate listeners. To serve one another well requires that we be willing to sacrifice our time and resources for the benefit of others.
Enjoy one another. King Solomon wrote, “Enjoy life with your wife [or husband], whom you love” (Ecclesiastes 9:9). The joy of a godly home is enjoyment. Oh, that we should appreciate the gift of family that God has given us. Let us celebrate the milestones and achievements of each other and have fun and laugh together. Let us strive to create memories and traditions that will last and above all, may we always remember to thank God for every moment we have together.
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A godly home is not only a blessing for us and our families, but it is also a witness for others. When people see the way we live in our homes, they will see a glimpse of heaven as we exemplify the reality of God’s love and grace in our lives.
As Christian author and speaker, Elisabeth Elliot said,
“The best way to prepare for heaven is by loving well those whom God has given us here on earth.”
And as the psalmist declared,
“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! … For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore” (Psalm 133:1-3).
May the Lord help us create godly homes so that they should be a foretaste of heaven!
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And, as always,
Stay holy, Beloved.
Stay hygge.
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