Family is very important to God!

November 30, 2009

Family is very important to God!

Psalm 127

Joyce Vedrenne

Central Truth

Sons born during one’s youth are like arrows in a warrior’s hand. How blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them.

Yes, sons are a gift from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb is a reward.
(Psalm 127:3)

Unless the LORD Builds the House

A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.

1 Unless the LORD builds the house,
    those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
    the watchman stays awake in vain.
2 It is in vain that you rise up early
    and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
    for he gives to his beloved sleep.

3 Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,
    the fruit of the womb a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
    are the children^{1

127:4
Or sons} of one's youth.
5 Blessed is the man
    who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
    when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.^{2

127:5
Or They shall not be put to shame when they speak with their enemies in the gate}

Footnotes

[1] 127:4 Or sons
[2] 127:5 Or They shall not be put to shame when they speak with their enemies in the gate

Throughout the Bible, Old and New Testaments, there are references commanding fathers to prepare (train up) children and households to "keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just." (Genesis 18:19b)
I believe our enemy may not be very worried about one man or one woman who "keeps the way of the Lord." However, when a man and his wife follow the Lord, Satan sees trouble. And if a man, his wife, and his children follow the Lord, Satan can see his defeat.
We live in a society that doesn’t view children biblically (I will go so far as to submit that many Christians don’t either). This is evident from the huge number of abortions each year and the reports of unbelievable child abuse, neglect, incest, and abandonment.
What are we to do to change this pattern? First, we must examine our own hearts honestly to be sure we accept children as a gift from God and a reward for loving our spouse. (If we see our children as a gift from God, can we honestly say, "I know best and don’t want to be blessed with more than one or two gifts?" What guides our decision to have children?) Then, turn to the Scripture for instructions from God on how to raise these little "gifts/rewards."
This psalm is a treasure trove! It speaks of children as "arrows" and implies that the parent is a warrior. As warriors, we are to be sure our arrows have straight shafts that are just the right diameter and feathers straight and smooth to give the arrow balance to hit the mark.

1. As parents, teachers, aunts and uncles, do we allow our affection for our children to get in the way of loving them well?
2. What are we training and preparing our children for: this world or to stand against the world?
3. Do we prefer our children to be happy or holy?