Can I tell you about a beautiful word in the Bible? I should say, one of the many beautiful words. The Hebrew word ta' anuwg means "delightful, lovely, precious, cherished, pleasant, fondled." This word relates to us because it is used in three different times about family life.
1) The love of a husband and wife. In Song of Solomon 7:6 (NLT) the husband says to his wife: "Oh, how beautiful you are! How pleasing my love, how full of delights!" Why is she so delightful? Because she takes time and thought to make herself delightful and desirable to her husband.
2) A mother's love for her children. In Micah 1:16 (ESV) God calls our children a “delight." Our children are to be "loved," "cherished," and "fondled." They are too precious to give to someone else to care for, aren't they? We treasure them enough to take this responsibility ourselves.
3) A woman's love for her home. Micah 2:9 (ESV) says: "The women of my people you drive out from their delightful houses." God was angry with those who evicted women from "the homes they love" (GNB). It is inherently within us to love our home. It is how God created us. Adam was created before God created the Garden of Eden, but He had the home waiting for Eve (Genesis 2:7-8, 18-22). She woke up to life in the home God prepared for her.
And what did God call His first home? Eden means "delightful." God wants us to make our homes delightful--a delightful place for His presence, for our husband, and our children. And why would we want to leave our delightful homes? Why would we forsake something we love for something lesser?
Be blessed in your delightful home today,
Nancy Campbell