Home Sweet Home

It is truly wonderful when the people of God live together in peace. (Psalm 133:1, CEV)

Have you noticed how many of Solomon’s proverbs speak to the state of the home and relationship? Sometimes he says it’s better to sit all alone on a rooftop than it is to occupy the same space with a contentious or nagging person. (Proverbs 21:19) or it’s better to eat a dry crust of bread all by yourself than enjoy a nice juicy steak with someone who is not very kind. (Prov. 17:1). Regardless, we all know it’s so much better when home is a good place to be. Who doesn’t want to enjoy that old saying “Home is where the heart is, or Home Sweet Home?” Unfortunately, home is not always the sweet place it needs to be, or God has intended it to be. Sometimes home is the place where disagreement is, where stress is high, where unhappiness is, where wounding and heartbreak are. Sometimes the stresses of homelife can be addressed or healed through small actions or changes of behaviors, attitudes, or practices; a reassessing of goals and commitments and sometimes we need the help of skilled counselors or meditators to help us get through difficult times and seasons of life together.

Sometimes home needs a little or a lot more of our attention. God, through his Holy Spirit—his Spirt of wisdom and discernment—will show us what we can do to make home a better, more peaceable, and enjoyable place. If all that’s needed is a little attention, a little work on our relationships, a little less criticism and more praise, a little more effort or affirmation, then that’s something to rejoice about. We may not be able to fix all the problems of home or relationship all by ourselves but our little effort and attention to do what is good and profitable will go a long way in helping home be the place we know it can and should be.

Hopefully we won’t need to take up our abode on the rooftop or sit in the corner alone or even eat our meals alone, when troubling times come we talk it over with those we live with and especially with our Lord who is expert on earthly relationships and the home, and receive good counsel and guidance so we can live happily and more peaceably with one another. While we can rejoice that our heavenly and eternal home or relationships will never need tweaking or intervention, we can also rejoice that God helps us make these earthly homes and relationships more enjoyable because he is with us to help and empower us. Let’s Pray,

Jesus, help us to have the best relationships we can have and the best home environments just as you intended. With your guidance and counsel, we can. Amen

Reflective Questions for Soul-Tending:

How is your home environment and relationships? Is it time for some attentive care?

How will you incorporate today’s message into your plan of soul-care?