Something to think about fellow brothers and sisters in Christ: do you compartmentalize your life? Separating church and ministry from the rest of your life? "This part of my day is work, this part is family time, Sunday is church, Tuesday night is ministry, and the rest of the time I do whatever the heck I feel like doing" etc....you get the idea. Whether we intend to or not, it's something we all do. May I exhort you (and myself) to change your perspective a little? In the Bible, man's relationship with God affected all aspects of one's life. God was never separate from or absent from even the most mundane of daily activities. Being a Christian is not PART of who you are. It's not one area of your life, it IS your life. You are a new creation! Forgiven and redeemed! Sanctified and made holy! This should greatly affect your work, family, free time, chores, fellowship, ministry, etc.It should change your attitude and your behavior in each of these areas of your life.
Speaking of ministry...do you realize that if you're married and/or have children, that your first and most important ministry is family? "Ministry", doesn't have to be an organized program w/in your local church, Though they are wonderful to be involved in, they should never cause you to neglect your marriage or your family. I mean think about the importance of family. First, marriage---the best earthly reflection of the intimate relationship between Christ and the Church. It's a gift created by God, for God, to reflect God and bring Him glory. And He creates it right at the very beginning of time! Kind of important, don't you think? Secondly, we were told to "be fruitful and multiply", training up the next generation to live for the Glory of God, and teach them to train THEIR children...and so the cycle continues. Make babies. And train them well. If you ask me, and Martin Luther (see Sex and the Supremacy of Christ, near the end of the book), the family is one of the most important ministries there is.
Let me be clear: I am NOT against organized church programs or ministries. I am FOR them. HOWEVER, you can be involved in every possible church ministry there is and think you're glorifying God, but if your spouse and/or children never get any of your time or attention, I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say God is not pleased, nor glorified. Programs don't change people anyway...relationships do. And you don't necessarily need to be part of a program in order to have relationships and be involved in the lives of others. That's all I'm saying.
In conclusion, I love my husband. And we'd both love to have a family someday...with lots of babies. It is a desire of ours and we need to do what's necessary to prepare and give the appropriate amount of time & attention to each other, and preparing our home for the ministry God has laid on our hearts.
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