A Home-Keeping Heart

Isn't the above image just so lovely? Looking at it evokes feelings of peace and tranquility as well as longing - a longing for the olden days; for a simpler, more carefree time.

I love the verse in the Bible that states: Thus says the Lord: "Stand by the roads and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls." (Jer. 6:16 ESV). God's ways are truly best. They bring us peace, rest, and deep inner joy.

I have been grieving lately as I receive news of former friends and acquaintances whose families have split due to a lack of faith in God. The very foundation of their lives has ruptured, leaving a gaping hole. Like the foolish man in the parable Jesus told, they chose to build their house on the sand. Not surprisingly, when the rain and the floods and the wind came, the house fell, and great was its fall.

When our hearts are not anchored on the truth of Jesus Christ, how can we expect our families to survive? How can we expect our families to thrive? They simply cannot. Chaos, disunity, and disaster are the inevitable results of a family whose faith is weak or worse - nonexistent.

As women, we have it in us to change the course of our family's destiny. I have seen it again and again. If the lady of the house allows discontent and unbelief to take over her heart, she will, like the foolish woman in Proverbs, destroy her home with her own two hands. On the contrary, the faithful, pious woman knows her influence is incredible, so she uses it to build and to uplift her family. She is being the feminine woman God created her to be. Great will be her reward in heaven.

A woman's place is in the home. This I believe with all of my heart. When women choose to vacate their homes, in search of self-fulfillment or of a better life, they choose to weaken society. It is in the home where we hold the most power. In the home, we are queens. It is only in recent times that this truth has been trampled and spit on by even those who would claim the badge of Christ.

As women, we are strong and beautiful when we serve and obey our husbands. We are graceful and lovely when we nurture and train our children. We are obedient and faithful when we choose with all of our hearts to submit our entire lives to the Word of God.

Scripture states, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." (3 Jn. 1:4) How can we ever hope to have faithful, godly children, if our feet remain not in the home? Ladies, we must endeavor to have home-centered hearts that refuse to listen to the lies of this wicked world! The fate of our children and even our husbands depends so much on us! What kind of attitude will you allow your heart to embrace? Will it be a spirit of gentleness and humility? Or one of bitterness and discontent?

I hope that, like Mary, the Mother of our Lord, we may strive to have a heart that says always, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." May we live as servants of the Lord, submitting wholeheartedly to the truth of His Word, no matter how difficult or unpopular it may be.

"Stay, stay at home, my heart and rest;

Home-keeping hearts are happiest."

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow