The Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria Anglican Communion

The Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 26 May 2020 – Guide For Good Family Relationships

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TOPIC: Guide For Good Family Relationships

READ: EPHESIANS 6:1-9 (NKJV)

  1. Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
  2. “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise:
  3. “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.”
  4. And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.
  5. Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ;
  6. not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,
  7. with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men,
  8. knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether [he is] a slave or free.
  9. And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.

THE MESSAGE:

When good relationships exist in a family, every member is happy. In our text, very good instructions are given to four categories of people found in the family namely: children, fathers and by extension mothers, slaves (workers or house-helps) and masters. Children are advised to obey their parents because it is right and also attracts the blessing of long life on earth (verses 1-3). Fathers are directed not to make their children very unhappy, rather they should give them godly training (verse 4).

Slaves (workers, employees or house-helps) are advised to obey and respect those that have authority over them. They should serve wholeheartedly as unto the Lord since God will reward them some day (verses 5-8). Masters (employers or those who have authority over people) should treat their workers or those under them well, without using threats. They were reminded to bear in mind that God is the Master of all men and is no respecter of persons (verse 9).

Friend, do good relationships exist between members of your family? Do you have anything against any member of your family? Settle that issue today and establish cordiality between you and that person. Strive to build good relationships. It pays to do so.

PRAYER: Father, please intervene in my family and restore cordial relationships in Jesus name. Amen.