Building a Christ-Centered Home
On 10 February 2019, The People’s Church held her Renewal of Wedding Vows event in conjunction with Valentine’s Day. A total of 9 couples renewed their wedding vows of love in the presence of the Almighty God and witnesses – reminding them of their love and commitment to their spouse.
The renewal of wedding vows serves as a great occasion for the couples to reflect on the ups and downs in their marriage, cherish the love they share and look forward to many more years of journeying life together. We, as a body of Christ, celebrate the love between couples and support them in prayer.
Through the years spent together as a couple, many have realised that a lasting marriage not only acknowledges individual differences but also overcomes difficult times together. As couples reaffirm their love for each other, it sets an example for their children and grandchildren to witness and learn from. Parents and grandparents are children’s role models, and the greatest life and love lessons that one can impart in their children are not written in books or movies but are lived out and demonstrated for them to see. When children witness this heartening moment, they begin to yearn for a strong marriage – one with God as the foundation.
The significance behind this event ties in strongly with Reverend Ronald Yow’s message for the congregation. In his prayer for the couples, he reminded us that God must always be the centrality of a couple’s marriage – where couples yearn not only to grow more in love with each other every day but also to grow more in love and cultivate a personal growing relationship with God on a daily basis.
Rev Yow shared 4 concise points that pulled at our heart strings – Internalisation, Instruction, Intentionality and Integration.
Rev Yow reminded the parents in our congregation that they hold the primary responsibility to instruct their children on the matter of faith as they are the source of their children’s personal and spiritual growth.
Although I have yet to start a family of my own, this point resonated with me as I reflected on my upbringing as a second-generation Christian. My parents have played a huge support in my walk with Christ and have been my role models all these years. My parents would spend time praying together with me for my walk with God, for the examinations that I sit for and for my well-being. With this spiritual support from my parents, I am deeply comforted and I know that this God that I believe in is one who will see me through my trials because He has appeared to be so true in my parents’ lives and spiritual journey.
When parents inculcate a habit of spiritual conversations and involve their children in a sense of spiritual direction, it has a great impact on their children’s lives. Home should be the primary place that faith is to be nurtured and it is a continuous committed relationship with God.
Deuteronomy 6:5-8 (NIV)
5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.
7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Faith begins at home.
Article Written by Abigail Cheong, Youth Leader at The People’s Church