Thank God that the month of March is designated as Family month in the hope of strengthening relationships within each family unit. Our focus is not only on the relationship between husband and wife, but the different kinds of relationships that may exist within a family. In fact, each and every one of us comes from a family where we have family members who are dear to us, be it parents, siblings, spouse or children. In the same way, God is a relational God and He values our relationship with Him and whether we are communicating with Him on a daily basis.
In the book of Ephesians chapters 5 and 6, the principles on how members are to relate to each other in a godly family have been clearly laid out, including how husband and wife should treat one another, and likewise how parents and children should treat each other.
In particular, Ephesians 5:21 says “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” As Christians, we should live as children of light having the fear of God in our hearts as we build and maintain relationships in our family. The Bible teaches us to bear an attitude of servanthood as we serve one another in the family, in the same manner as how we serve God. Wives and husbands should serve each other in love just as Christ does the Church and gave Himself up for the Church. The unity of Christ and the Church is the basis of the unity between husbands and wives. The marriage covenant established by God in the beginning is for a man and a woman to become one flesh, naked yet feel no shame. This kind of unity is perfect unity of the mind, body and spirit, possible only in Christ.
Therefore, a husband-wife relationship should be in Christ, drawing strength from Him to put love into action as the two parties seek to build each other up in unity and in the truth of God’s Word. Without Christ in the centre of our relationship, this is an impossible task as we are all sinners.
When two sinners are in a marital relationship, it can be a recipe for disaster. The honeymoon period at the beginning of marriage soon gives way to conflicts, bitterness and resentment because of differences in character, lifestyle and upbringing. As time goes by, what used to be a loving couple has become two strangers living under one roof, each living their own lives under the camouflage of marriage.
No matter how long we have been married, it is important for us to examine our relationship with our spouse and our children through the lens of Scripture.
Biblical principles laid down in Scripture are there not to make our lives difficult. In fact, by living out biblical principles in our relationships, we can truly love and respect each other in our family. With Christ being the head of the family and each family member submitting to His kingship, we can enjoy fruitful and rewarding marriage and family life.
When we have been Christians for some time, we might think to ourselves: I do know the teachings in the Bible, but why have I not experienced blessings from God? It is because we have His Word in our heads and not our deeds. By living out the teachings of Christ in our lives and relying on Jesus and Jesus alone, we can then experience the reality of God.
May God help us all as we learn His word and walk by faith in His ways. God’s promises and abundant blessings in Christ never fail.
感恩，教會定了，三月是教會的家庭月，希望能夠加強家庭裡的關係。不單只是夫妻關係，而是家庭裡每段的關係，其實我們每個人也來自家庭，我一定有最親近的家人，無論是父母，兄弟姊妹，夫妻或兒女，神都是非常看重我們之間的關係，因為神是關係的神。神就是與我們有關係，很看重與我們每天的連接。
所以然聖經中，特別是以弗所書，第五和第六章，清楚的談到神喜悅的家庭，其中包括，夫妻關係，父母兒女關係。
在5章21節中，說到是要‘敬畏神’，而且彼此順服。我們基督徒，因為已經是神的兒女，我們行事為人，便是成為光明之子，我們是以敬畏神的心，在家庭中建立關係。聖經教導我們，在家是以彼此服侍的心態，好像服侍神一樣，而彼此服侍。妻子服侍丈夫，丈夫也服侍妻子。同樣的都好像基督愛教會，為教會捨己，基督與教會的合一，也就是成為夫妻之間的合一。因為神最初建立婚姻，是讓二人成為一體，赤身露體，都不覺得羞恥。
這種合一，是一種完美無暇的合一，身心靈的合一，只有在基督裡才有的一種狀況。
所以夫妻，必須是在基督裡，聖經裡，愛的行動裡，彼此建立，成為一體。沒有基督的話，是沒有可能做到，因為我們都是罪人。
當在婚姻中，兩個罪人走在一起，只會罪上加罪，彼此傷害。最初的婚姻蜜月期，因時間很快消逝，隨之而來，是衝突期，因為性格或生活習慣關係的不同，而彼此不和及積怨。久而久之，最初非常恩愛的夫妻，可能變成陌路人，同一屋簷下，但各不相干，婚姻變得有名無實。
在婚姻無論是多久，其實我們都要不斷努力，檢視我們的夫妻之間，父母和兒女的關係，是否合乎聖經的教導。
神的標準，不是要為難我們，而是我們的保護網，是告訴我們，唯有這樣的彼此相愛，彼此尊重，讓聖經和基督，在家庭中，成為我們的主宰，各人順服在基督之下，這樣才能有美好的婚姻及家庭生活。
有些時候，我們做基督徒久了，我們對聖經的教導，頭腦上都懂，但為什麼我們還沒經歷神的賜福？是因為我們只是聽道，而沒有‘’行出來‘’。唯有把我們把基督的教導，行在生活中，單單信靠主耶穌，我們便能夠，更經歷神的真實。
求主幫助我們，讓我們一起學習神的道，靠著主耶穌的力量，以信心實踐基督的教導，我們一定會得到神的應許，活在耶穌基督豐盛的祝福裡。
