This week’s devotions are based on Week 5 of Building Together: “Behind Closed Doors!” (WATCH HERE)
Joshua 24:14–15 “Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”
Every home has something at the center. It may be work, schedules, finances, sports, school, entertainment, comfort, or simply trying to get through the week. Even good things can slowly become the things that organize our lives. Joshua reminds us that the most important question for a household is not what we are doing, but whom we are serving.
“As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
That statement wasn’t simply about what happened inside Joshua’s house. It was a declaration of allegiance. Joshua understood that his family belonged under God’s authority and that God’s Word would shape the way they lived together.
That is still God’s desire for Christian homes today.
The Christian home is not a perfect home. It is not a home where everyone always gets along, where children always obey, or where husbands and wives never disagree. It is a home where Christ is at the center and where His Word continually brings us back when we fail.
Paul says in Colossians 3:17, “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.” Notice how comprehensive that is. Whatever you do. The Christian faith isn’t reserved for Sunday morning. Christ belongs in the kitchen, the living room, the conversation after a difficult day, the parenting decision, the financial discussion, and the disagreement between husband and wife.
God’s design for the home begins with this simple truth: we live under Christ.
That changes the way we think about authority. It changes the way a husband leads. It changes the way a wife responds. It changes the way parents discipline. It changes the way children obey. Everyone in the home stands under the same Lord.
And when we remember that, our homes can become places where the Gospel is lived out in ordinary ways. A husband can serve instead of demanding. A wife can show respect instead of keeping score. Parents can correct their children without crushing them. Children can learn that obedience is part of loving God. Families can pray, forgive, worship, and return again and again to the promises of Christ.
So today, don’t begin by asking, “How can I fix my family?” Begin by asking, “How can I put Christ at the center of my home today?”
Maybe that means praying with your family. Maybe it means apologizing. Maybe it means putting down the phone and listening. Maybe it means opening God’s Word together. Maybe it means simply reminding someone in your home, “I love you, and I am thankful God has given you to me.”
A Christian home is built one faithful moment at a time.
Reflect: What tends to take the place of Christ at the center of your home or daily life? What is one simple way you can intentionally put Christ at the center of your home today?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the gift of my home and the people You have placed in my life. Forgive me for the times I put myself, my desires, or my priorities ahead of You and others. Help me to live under Your good and gracious design. Make my home a place where Your Word is heard, Your forgiveness is practiced, and Your love is seen. Give me wisdom to lead, humility to serve, patience to forgive, and faith to trust You. Let my home be a place where You are honored and where others can see the grace You have given me in Christ. Amen.