Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

Family-Space for Faith Formation
Jobby Thomas
St. Thomas MTC, NY
17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love.
When Ephesians was written, Paul was in prison. All through his persecution and hardship, Paul kept a positive attitude through faith.  In the passage Ephesians 3:14-21, Paul was praying for the Ephesians. It appears that he considered Ephesians like his own family along his heavenly or spiritual dwelling (vs.15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named).  Reflecting this to our Christian family life, we were raised to have faith in God from the age we started to comprehend. Faith can be seen in 2 ways. It can be a religious belief concept or confidence of the known/unknown. In Christian family, these 2 types of faith go hand to hand.  Even though Church plays a part in our faith, our nourishment of our faith comes from our family. Our family is there constantly and consistently which helps form our faith. It becomes part of our living and part of our Christian lifestyle.
Since I was little and to this very day, I see my parents practice their faith just like Paul practiced by kneeling and praying for everyone. (vs.14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named). Our family shows their faith through prayer, and we can see faith during our joys as well as our tribulations in life.  We need to see faith during good times by thanking and praising God for his blessings. When we are going through difficult times, we need to have faith and ask God to help and guide us. We are seeking “hope and love” through our Faith. Even if the end results are not what we expected, we still seek God because of our faith.  So in conclusion, our family starts the spark of our Faith and through trial/tribulation where faith carries us; we then know Christ is within our heart.

PRAYER

Dear God, help us within our family to build that confidence in You during the time of happiness and during the time of struggles. Amen

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

 


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