Confessions of a Church: Peace in the Home

The Psalm writer wrote:  Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. As we come before a Holy God and hear his word, may we have eyes open to the wonderful and fearful things from his law. May it move us to repent and seek forgiveness, fear disobedience, and live in light of the grace we have received.   This is the word of God.  It is eternally true and applicable for all of life.  

Proverbs 17:1-10 Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it than a house full of feasting with strife. A servant who acts wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully, And will share in the inheritance among brothers. The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the Lord tests hearts. An evildoer listens to wicked lips; A liar pays attention to a destructive tongue. He who mocks the poor taunts his Maker; He who rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished. Grandchildren are the crown of old men, And the glory of sons is their fathers. Excellent speech is not fitting for a fool, Much less are lying lips to a prince. A bribe is a charm in the sight of its owner; Wherever he turns, he prospers. He who conceals a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends. A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding Than a hundred blows into a fool.

In 2020, having peace in one’s home generally means lifting up the corner of the big family rug and sweeping all of your troubles underneath it. Peace in the home means appeasing children with treats, toys, entertainment, and Ipads, so mommy or daddy can watch their favorite show on netflix. I said mommy or daddy, because most homes in America in 2020 don’t have both. Peace in the home, within a family, has come to mean doing whatever it takes to appease and satisfy the carnal desires of those within the home, and quickly destroying and cutting off all those who would disrupt that tranquility. Homes such as this merely give the appearance of peace. A quick glance would reveal laughter, and much merrimaking. Homes built upon a foundation of faux peace may look like places of feasting, celebration, and much activity.

This comment could be heard coming from the mouths of folks who live in a home of pseudo-peace: “I work full time, make meals for my kid, take them to ballet, football practice, scouts, drag queen story hour, and their weekly counselling session. My kid has an ipad, air jordans, an xbox,  plays ten different sports, and is on 3 different meds because he won’t sit still in class. I barely have any time for myself, except in the evenings while my kid is in his room playing on his ipad, then I get ‘me time’. The last 5 live-in boyfriends/girlfriends didn’t work out, so now I just do me. I don’t need no man/woman. Everybody in my home is happy, has whatever they want, and if anything or anybody gets in my way i will gladly cut them off and discard them from my life, because nobody is going to keep me from being happy. I want what I want, when I want it, and nobody, not my parents, not my children, not even God will keep me from living this peaceful, joyful, fun life I want to live. Got it?”

Today’s Proverb states:
Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it than a
house full of feasting with strife.

When you have peace with God through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, even a dry morsel and a lowly place in the world will seem as a feast and blessing to you. Peace with God through Jesus Christ promotes real peace in the home, with contentedness, good will, brotherly affection, and joy being the air which everyone in that home breathes. Going without the things of the world is barely perceived, because Christ has filled their cup to the point of overflowing. Times of plenty are looked upon with awe and wonder, as those in a home of peace marvel that God would be so good to them. When problems do arise in a home filled with genuine peace, the corner of the family rug is not lifted up to sweep the problems under, no. Instead, this family goes to the cross where all the sins can actually be taken away, never to be seen again, no records kept, just reconciliation.

Matthew Henry states:
1. Those that live in unity and quietness, not only free from jealousies and animosities, but vying in mutual endearments, and obliging to one another, live very comfortably, though they are low in the world, work hard and fare hard, though they have but each of them a morsel, and that a dry morsel. There may be peace and quietness where there are not three meals a day, provided there by a joint satisfaction in God's providence and a mutual satisfaction in each other's prudence. Holy love may be found in a cottage.

2. Those that live in contention, that are always jarring and brawling, and reflecting upon one another, though they have plenty of dainties, a house full of sacrifices, live uncomfortably; they cannot expect the blessing of God upon them and what they have, nor can they have any true relish of their enjoyments, much less any peace in their own consciences. Love will sweeten a dry morsel, but strife will sour and embitter a house full of sacrifices. A little of the leaven of malice will leaven all the enjoyments.

What type of peace do you strive for in your home? Peace through attempts satisfy the flesh, or peace through the blood of the Lamb?

If you are able please kneel as we confess our sins before God Who is Holy, Holy, Holy.

Heavenly Father,
We come before You this morning, each of us seeking some semblance of peace in our lives, but often falling short because the object of our peace is wrong.

Father, help us to remember that Your Son is our peace. Help us to believe that the Prince of peace has made a way for us to be right in Your eyes through His shed blood, no longer at war with you.  Father, whether we have an overabundance of the world’s goods, or only a dry morsel to feast upon, help us to feed daily from that bread of life come down from heaven. Help us to be satisfied whether the harvest is plentiful or is destroyed by locusts. Please forgive when our feet quickly turn away from following you, to pursue after tranquility and food in other pastures. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Please stand and listen now to the comforting assurance of the grace of God, promised in the gospel to all that believe: 

1 Corinthians 1:30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption. 

 To all those who thus repent and seek Jesus Christ for their salvation, your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lift up your hearts!
(From the 05/24/2020 liturgy of Sovereign King Church written by Aaron Sabie.)