The Man and His Wife (Part 7)

SPIRITUALITY IN HOME LEADERSHIP

Men are supposed to be the spiritual head of the family. It takes a physically mature man to provide physical, fatherly leadership at home – babies can’t raise or lead babies.

So it is in spiritual matters – babies can’t provide spiritual covering and spiritual leadership at home. What a man doesn’t have, he can’t give.

“How can a man with little or no spiritual understanding, who sincerely wishes to provide spiritual leadership at home do so the Bible way?”

“Can family unity and/or children’s destinies be threatened in homes where no correct spiritual leadership exists?”

Women can be more prayerful, passionate, and compassionate than men on family matters; but when it comes to making covenants with families, God deals with men.

He will not and has never given any serious family covenant to the woman. Men must lead in spiritual things.

At creation He gave Adam and mankind the Covenant of Multiplication and Dominion; and he gave Abraham the Covenant of Circumcision. Jochebed, the mother of Moses, wouldn’t have been able to hide him for 3 months without the help of a visionary father – Amrad. Jacob blessed the 12 tribes, because as a father he knew what they did not know about their futures and destinies.

The angel who brought the news of Samson’s birth waited for the man who was to be the father of the boy, because God will do nothing in a family without the knowledge of the man of the house. Angel Gabriel’s visit to Mary was incomplete until he visited Joseph.

These and many more are examples of God’s dealing with men, and by extension their families. There is a divine reason and purpose for every family, and a spiritual man will find it out.

It takes a close walk with God to know His mind for your family. There is much more you can do for your wife and children, than provide bread and shelter. It’s your duty to lead in spiritual matters; it’s your duty to know more of Jesus; it’s your duty to know Bible promises, which are relevant to your family in the plan of God, and to teach same to your wife and children.

Where the head is blind to spiritual matters, the destinies and purposes of God for the family and for each of the children can be left unattended to. The head controls the body.

It’s because men are blind to God’s plan for their children, that they pay little or no attention to their spiritual welfare and treat their mothers anyhow. Just imagine if Abraham had maltreated and abused Sarah…what could have happened to Isaac, Jacob, the 12 brothers, and today’s Israel? There wouldn’t have been a nation like that today. God’s purpose for every child may hit the rock if raised by an unhappy mother. May God open men’s eyes to see that!

The journey into spirituality starts with a closer walk with Jesus – a daily life of prayers and study of the Word of God. God’s purpose for the family can be perpetuated when children are taught in God’s way by their father, in the light of his personal understanding of God’s expectations for his family.

How much of God is in your family is very much determined by how much of Him is in you as the head of your home. God will not deal with the woman when it comes to spiritual matters at home – He holds the man accountable whenever He comes calling.

May you not be found wanting when He visits your family, and may our children’s destinies not be truncated just because we are blind to His mind for our families. Amen!

Olumofin Kehinde Benjamin writes for Praying Parents Prayer Group Christian Ministry (3pG).