What is the preeminent theme of your home? In some homes it is sport, or education, or perhaps being realistic today, social media! We reveal what is preeminent by the time and number of hours we spend on it each day.
However, if we are a Christian family, a God-fearing family, shouldn’t the central theme of our home be the cross of Jesus Christ? The cross of Jesus Christ and His precious blood that He poured out for us is the central theme of the Bible. Shouldn’t it be our central theme also? Or do we rarely think about it or talk about it?
Paul said in Galatians 6:14: “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” He also confessed: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain . . . That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings . . . “ (Philippians 1:21 and 3:10).
How can we make His cross more predominant in our homes? We draw closer to His cross as we spend time in His presence and in His Word. Not only individually but gathering our families into His presence each morning and evening. This is surely the least amount of time we can give as a family each day to honor Him. As we open God’s Word and read it to our families, we are brought back to what is truly important. We are drawn to the most important theme in the world—our great redemption through the cross and the blood of Jesus.
We also do this as we pray. Each day at our Family Devotions each one around our table prays. When it comes to my turn to pray, I pray about different needs, especially as I take two different cards from our Prayer Boxes each day. But there is one thing I do before I intercede for the needs of the world and that is to thank Jesus Christ for the cross and for my redemption. I cannot let a day go by with thanking Him.
The whole of the Old Testament led up to Jesus shedding His blood upon the cross. Every morning and every evening the priests sacrificed the lamb to atone for their sins, pointing to THE LAMB OF GOD, Jesus Christ, the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. No longer do we need sacrifices, because Jesus died ONCE and for all for our redemption.
Now we look back to Calvary. I love to look back in gratitude, thankfulness, and worship for my great redemption. I am brought back to the cross as I thank Him every morning and evening. If they could spend all that time with sacrifices each day, surely the least I can do is look back in gratefulness and praise.
We also bring our families back to the cross as we sing worship songs and hymns about the cross of Jesus. We love to sing at our Family Devotions, but you can play these songs in your home all day long. Some families love to sing the current worship songs. Some like to sing the hymns. There are so many wonderful songs to remind us of the cross. If you don’t know them, look them up on the Internet and play the tunes so you can sing along with them. We have hymn books and song sheets which we choose every morning and evening as we sing praises to the Lord. I will list a few choices below.
What are some other ways you keep the cross of Jesus central in your home. I’d love to hear from you.
Blessings to you today,
Nancy Campbell
A few samples of current worship songs about the cross:
The cross has the final word (Cody Carnes)
Lead me to the cross (Brooke Ligertwood
At the cross (Chris Tomlin)
The power of the cross (Keith and Kristyn Getty
Nailed to the cross (Rend Collective)
Your royal blood (Rend Collective)
A few samples of hymns about the cross.
Are you washed in the blood?
Jesus keep me near the cross
When I survey the wondrous cross
The way of the cross leads home
And can it be that I should gain?
There is a fountain filled with blood
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
Alas! And did my Savior bleed
Blessed be the fountain of blood (Whiter than the snow)
I will sing of my Redeemer
There was One who was willing
Redeemed
Lead me to Calvary