Disclaimer: The sharing is pure from my personal view; therefore, please don’t take it to be absolute. Thanks.

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After two and half weeks of “Single but not available (SBNA)” days, my wife and kids finally returned home from a trip, on last Monday night. Hooray… no more ramen, pizza, or fried rice for dinner anymore :-)…. I thank God for His protection and provision to my family.

I was always amazed by God’s impeccable timing. During those SBNA days, my working schedule required me to spend extra hour at my office due to some urgent issues. This actually lets me enjoy good air conditioning at my office more, especially during a week long of “hot and humid” days around the area. God is really gracious!

Last week, our small group started a new series of study – 1 Timothy, an epistle authored by apostle Paul. Apostle Paul addressed this personal letter to his “true son in the faith” – Timothy – whose father was a Greek and his mother was a Jew. To a huge degree, Timothy’s faith was influenced by his mother Eunice and grandmother Lois before meeting apostle Paul (2 Timothy 1:5). He was raised in a godly home. This reveals to us the importance of a family to one’s faith journey. Timothy later became one of apostle Paul’s special assistants (Philippians 2:19-22) and ultimately he was commissioned to pastor the church at Ephesus. Studying from the scripture, we could perceive that the commission was never an easy task to the young Timothy – he may have thought to ask for an exchange of assignment from apostle Paul otherwise apostle Paul wouldn’t urged him to stay (1 Timothy 1:3) at the same post. Apostle Paul wrote this letter to teach Timothy to “know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. (1 Timothy 3:15)”.  From here we could see Paul’s heart as a father.

Why is it important to learn how to conduct ourselves in God’s household? Before we tackle this question, let me ask this, “What is a household?” You probably already knew the answer – a household is a group of people live together as a family. It usually consists of parents and their children. Can people live together without observing certain family synergetic efforts, such as respect one another, love one another, help one another, etc? Yes but it would be very difficult and oftentimes this kind of family is considered dysfunctional. As apostle Paul indicated that God’s household is the church of living God and the pillar and foundation of the truth, isn’t it very important for us to learn how to conduct ourselves because we are His children? Especially, learn how to respect, love, help and encourage one another in His family.

In God’s household, there is also something very special. After our worldly life is over, we will have a family reunion with our Lord in heaven. Do you know that there will be no more marriage life in heaven (Matthew 22:30)? That means there will be no more parenthood among us but brotherhood and sisterhood. We will have only one parent – our God. And, this household is going to be a big family because there are many children. Isn’t this amazing?

My dear brothers and sisters, as a child of God, we are related to Him in many ways. To become His children is the most honorable position that we can be. And, we have to remember that it is a GRACE alone and we cannot boast anything about it. Because apostle Paul indicated to us:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. 你們得救是本乎恩，也因著信，這並不是出於自己，乃是神所賜的‧也不是出於行為，免得有人自誇‧(Ephesians 2:8-9)

My dear brothers and sisters, God is gracious and He wants us to be molded like His only begotten son, Jesus Christ. His unfailing love is the most amazing thing that we can experience. May we listen to His voice and learn to be obedient in His household.