HAPPY FAMILIES!

“Behind a happy baby is a happy family. And behind a happy family is Plunket.”

I am reading that on the Plunket poster that is stuck on the shop window while walking along Commerce Street in Kaitaia in the north of New Zealand.

Most of you have heard about the card game called HAPPY FAMILIES. I have been told that there is a very old HAPPY FAMILIES card game in our house. And it is still complete.

What are the secrets of a happy (Christian) family?

There are actually two.

1. The first secret is in the family altar.

2. The second secret is love.

THE FAMILY ALTAR

The Lord Jesus Christ must be crowned as Head of the home. He is the unseen Head of the family.

The husband is the priest of the family and has two responsibilities.

— He is responsible to establish a family altar.

That means that the family comes together daily for family worship. The father as  head of the home is reading from the Bible to the family and praying to the Lord Jesus Christ. He is thanking the Lord, praising the Lord and praying for every member of the family.

— And he is also responsible for prayer at meals.

LOVE

Love is the second secret of a happy family. It is the visible symbol of unity in the family.

It is the duty of the husband to love and comfort his wife. The husband is also required to be faithful to his wife. And of course he must love his wife, but he must love Christ more!

Behind every happy (Christian) family is the Lord Jesus Christ. “….. in him all things hold together.” – Colossians 1:17 He is our foundation. (First Corinthians 3:11)