Word for the day by Christian Education forum

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NO LONGER TWO BUT ONE
Matthew 19: 1-12
‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. (Matthew 19:5,6)

The Pharisees raised a question to test Jesus. We all know that the Pharisees were clear about the answer for the question they raised. Instead of raising questions about the blessings we received as a family, we are duty bound to be witnesses as a family. Family is the divine gift of God and we are privileged to have this blessing in our life. We also have a responsibility to respond to this blessing. Let us throw light on 3 vital aspects about the subject from this passage.
 1. The genesis of the family is from the Creator:  Paul says in Ephesians. 3: 14  “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.” We are from God and of God and for God. We must introspect at all times, whether we reflect the identity of our father in all our workings as a family. That we are parties to activities, which are not Divine/Godly, saddens our Father in Heaven. And therefore, family is the Divine Gift of God, linked to the Divinity.
2. “So they are no longer two, but one”: The family of God is a united entity and the oneness in word and action helps in being a witness to the community around us. Family is the smallest unit of the church and oneness in the family helps us going in the direction where the Lord leads us. The difference of opinion in the family is not a sign of not having oneness, but agreeing with each other in the Lord in the midst of differences, is oneness.
3. Mutual responsibility: If then, family is a divine gift from God, to make the family a better place to exist, is by accepting the mutual responsibility amongst the members of the family. “Moses permitted... but it was not this way in the beginning”. If we do not reciprocate to the family to remain as one, we are probably alienating from the very basic purpose that God brought us together as a family. As we enjoy the fruits of the family we are also indebted to contribute towards the existence of the family for the very objective we are created. Loving, sharing, caring for each other is the mutual responsibility of the members.
Let us live as ‘Ambassadors of Christ’ as a family whom God reconciled to himself through Christ, as though God was making His appeal through us, so that we might become the righteousness of God the father.

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for the Divine gift of family. Help us to be rooted in you, witnessing in oneness and mutually responsible to the objective of glorifying you in all our deeds. Amen.

Mr. Abraham Varghese, Pune

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