Laying Spiritual Foundations For the Family

Laying Spiritual Foundations For the Family

This Sunday at CDC, we had the tremendous privilege of Lee Wee Min share with us on laying spiritual foundations for the family. Quite easily, he would be one of the foremost experts on the subject in Malaysia with his extensive work and leadership in Focus of the Family.

Commencing his sermon, brother Lee read from Deuteronomy 6, from Moses’ famous sermon to the Israelites as they were about to enter the Promised Land:-

 Deuteronomy 6

 1 These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 2 so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. 3 Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you.

 4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. ^[a] 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

The mandate Moses gave was not to the leaders of the tribes or clans or Levites but to each and every parent! The most important task of teaching the children falls not on the Pastor or Sunday School Teachers but on the parents. Moses did not tell the Israelites to set apart a certain day or time to teach the children, but to teach them as they go about in life, sitting at home, or walking along the road, while in bed, and when doing chores together. We, as parents have the to be conscious of passing on the truth as part of our normal daily routine, conscious of any opportunity to pass on truth to our children.

A survey done on the main cause of social ills was traced back to the absence of a father figure in the family. Some reasons for this are as follows:-

(i)                  The focus on the career:- Many fathers are so focused on their career, thinking they do their part in supplying all their children’s educational and material needs. However, they fail to realize their children need the love and time of the father at home.

(ii)                No sense of urgency:- Many fathers procrastinate, thinking there will always be time later, and this was perfectly illustrated in the Cats in the Cradle song where a father kept putting off spending time with his son until it was too late, when his son no longer had time to spend with him.

(iii)               Illiteracy in God’s Word:- Many fathers do not pass on godly truth because they feel inadequate in teaching the Word of God to their children. However, every Christian will grow if they read the Word and pray, and a better approach is to teach the children as we learn. The best way of teaching our kids is to become more Christ-like ourselves. (E.g. If our kids see us reading the Word, praying and doing good, they too will be inclined to follow us)

In his conclusion, brother Lee laid down five powerful principles which form building blocks for a strong family – labeled AROMA.

(A)   Affection – There must be unconditional love at home, where parents love the kids for who they are and no how successful they are in their studies or other things. We must not be afraid to say “I love you” to our children and be affectionate with them

(B)    Respect – We must learn to respect our children as individuals. They are growing up in a different era and we cannot expect them to live exactly as we did or like the things we did so many years ago. Rules minus relationship equals rebellion.

(C)   Order – Children must know who is in charge at home. Parents must not always give in to the children or they will think they are the boss. Love is not always soft, but also disciplined.

(D)   Merriment – It is important for the family to have fun and laughter together. A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.

(E)    Affirmation – It is also very important to affirm each other. We must not always just scold the kids for their mistakes but affirm them for the things they do well, and the good thoughts and intentions they have.

May the Lord shower His grace upon us that we might grow together as strong, healthy families living according to His will.

God bless,

Jason