RR: Lindsay and I believe that strong families start with a loving relationship between husband and wife. God said, The husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church (Ephesians 5:23 NIV). And that Scripture goes on to say that a husband must love his wife as Christ loves the church (v. 25).
That’s doesn’t mean that a man rules his own kingdom as a dictator and can run over his wife’s opinions and desires. As the head of the family, he is commanded by God to love his wife with the same kind of love that Jesus loves the Church…and Jesus gave His life for the Church.
LR: Nowhere does the Scripture say that one spouse is responsible for doing all the work or making the other one happy. God set up marriage so husband and wife have equal rights and responsibilities. It’s balanced.
RR: Marriage is a two-way street. The Bible says, The husband should please his wife… The wife should please her husband (1 Corinthians 7:3 NLV). That means they should take care of each other.
LR: Not all families have a mom and a dad and two kids. After my father died our family consisted of my mom, my brother and sister, and me. We had to function as a family unit without having a physical father as the head of our household.
Mom had the mindset, This is who we are, and we’re going to continue to function as a family. She claimed Psalm 68:5 which says that God is a father of the fatherless, a husband to widows.
You may feel that if one parent is gone, the family can’t go on. But I believe God can give you the ability to function as a family in whatever situation you’re in.
If you’re raising children alone, I encourage you to lean on God with all your strength. When my mother didn’t know what to do at times when we were growing up, I remember her praying, “Lord, these are your children. I know you can show me what to do.” And He did! I believe He can do that for your family too.
LR: Never underestimate the power of your prayers as a parent. My mother began to pray God’s will over my life from the moment she knew she was pregnant with me. But it’s never too late to begin.
If your children or spouse are not in right relationship with God, I encourage you to pray for them and declare God’s Word over them every day. And don’t ever give up It may take a lot of time and prayers. But I believe we can reap in due season…if we don’t give up. (Galatians 6:9).
RR: Lindsay and I want to pray this prayer with you over your family right now and join our faith with yours in expecting miracles in your home and family.