The Framework

Scripture:

“You are serving the Lord Christ.” (Colossians 3:24)

Reading:

Jesus concluded His most famous sermon with one His most recognizable parables. He said, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24) He then contrasts this wise builder with a foolish one who built his house on shifting sand.

Jesus could have used any familiar structure for this illustration – synagogues, inns, markets, even the Temple. Instead, He chose a home to emphasize both the importance of following His Words and the necessity of a solid foundation in life.

A house is the most formative building in a person’s life. It is meant to provide refuge and rest, a place from which we enter the world and to which we retreat from it.

Along with describing a home built on the rock, God’s Word also teaches us about the relationships and rhythms within that home. Paul’s epistle to the Colossians offers a blueprint God intends for His children to follow for their good. In Colossians 3:18-4:6, he addresses wives and husbands, fathers and children, our work, and even our interactions with those outside our homes.

One particular phrase stands out and applies whether someone lives alone or in a bustling family. “…with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.” (Col. 3:22) When the sturdy construction of God’s Word begins to take shape in our relationships, everything changes.

It gives us something to consider: Are we building our homes on sand, driven by pride and self-centeredness? Or are we building on the rock of God’s Word, marked by humility, service, and grace? A Christ-centered home is not built on perfection, but on obedience to Christ in ordinary roles.

Try adding these phrases from Colossians 3:18-25 to statements about your daily responsibilities and interactions:

• “as is fitting in the Lord” (Col. 3:18)
• “for this pleases the Lord” (Col. 3:20)
• “fearing the Lord” (Col. 3:22)
• “as for the Lord and not for men” (Col. 3:23)
• “serving the Lord Christ” (Col. 3:24)

A home built according to God’s framework is not without conflict or difficulty. Rather, it is one where each members asks, “How can I honor the Lord here?” Wives, husbands, parents, children, workers, employers, friends, and strangers interact with integrity – not because circumstances are easy, but because Christ is Lord.

Your Turn:

1. When I consider the foundation of my home, what is it truly built upon? Comfort, control, appearance, success, or obedience to Christ?

2. What would change if I remembered my daily responsibilities and interactions are to be done “as for the Lord and not for men”?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, the Lord Jesus is the Living Word, and upon His Words I want to build my life and home. Teach me how to hear Your Word and put it into practice. Please guide me, Holy Spirit, into honoring the Lord with my life. Amen.