Deuteronomy 6: 4-9

The family is the nurturing cradle of human life and growth, an indispensable foundation of both the church and society.

Today marks the Chinese Annual Conference (CAC) Family Sunday of the Methodist Church in Singapore, a special occasion dedicated to reaffirming the significance of the bond between believers and their families. A strong family serves as the cornerstone of a vibrant church and a flourishing nation. Indeed, the family is the nurturing cradle of human life and growth, an indispensable foundation of both the church and society. Throughout the Bible, we find teachings and reminders emphasizing the vital role of family education and the cultivation of sound values.
Deuteronomy 6 recounts Moses’ reiteration of God’s commandments to the Israelites in the plains of Moab, just before their entry into the Promised Land of Canaan. He fervently stressed the imperative of obeying God’s commandments to receive His abundant blessings.

Deuteronomy 6: 4-9 highlight for believers the importance of spiritual growth and the worship of God in one’s family.

Verses 4-9 highlight for believers the importance of spiritual growth and the worship of God in one’s family. First and foremost, we called to listen to God, worshipping the one and only Almighty, and to love Him with unwavering devotion. Secondly, we are commanded to embed God’s teachings deep within our hearts, reflecting upon them ceaselessly, proclaiming them, and diligently passing them on to our children, ensuring their transmission to future generations. May God’s Words permeate our hearts, our homes, and every facet of our lives — let us inscribe them on our hearts and on the doorframes of our households, regarding God’s Word as the bedrock of our personal lives and family relationships.
The book of Genesis reveals that the family is the first institution established by God, it also illustrates God’s profound interest in the creation and management of family life. For instance, the Scripture “… a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.”, stands as a cornerstone teaching on spousal relationship. Genesis further explores the relationships between parents and children, as well as between siblings. In essence, believers are entrusted with nurturing all relationships with care, fostering a harmonious, stable, and blessed family environment.
Crucially, the family is neither parent-centered nor child-centered but rather God-centered. “Write on the doorframe” symbolizes a family rooted in reverence and devotion to God. The family is also a place where individual character is molded. A God-centered family embodies love, warmth, and health — spouses cherish one another, children honour their parents, and all members foster mutual respect and intimacy, guided by wholesome family and marital values, and blessed by God across generations.
As the foundational unit established by God, the family bears the weighty responsibility of fulfilling His commandment to govern the world. Indeed, it is through the family that we are called to be “fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.” Beyond imparting God’s truths, the church also serves as the spiritual home for believers. “Family Sunday” provides an opportune moment for believers to impart and uphold the concept of family grounded in biblical principles. A God-centered family, guided by His Word, embodying and living out the teachings of the Bible on family life, and loving God with unreserved fervour, is assuredly bound for divine blessing!