Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say, and from where did they come to you?” So Hezekiah said, “They came from a far country, from Babylon.” And he said, “What have they seen in your house?” So Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them.” Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord: ‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,’ says the Lord. ‘And they shall take away some of your sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’ ” 2 Kings 20:14‒18
Last week we considered some things that might be seen in a Christian home which should never be found there. If someone were to come into your home, would they witness things such as foul language or shameful conduct? While visitors might not witness such things being done by members of our families, would they see us entertaining ourselves with programming that features this sort of behavior? We need to be careful what we allow into our homes.
Then again, are there some things that ought to be present in every Christian home which a visitor would fail to find in yours? In some Christian homes you will seldom hear a prayer uttered. Prayer, however, should be a common practice in the Christian home. We should pray individually in private (Matthew 6:6) and also together as a family, especially during times of distress (Acts 12:12). Every Christian home should also resound with hymns of praise to God, especially in times of joy and celebration (James 5:13). Singing is a great way to teach one another, to admonish one another, and to thank God for all He has done for us (Ephesians 5:18–20). Christian homes should all feature instruction from God’s word. God commanded the men of Israel to teach their children from the Law with all diligence (Deuteronomy 6:6–9), and much of the tragedy recorded in the chronicles of Israel’s history could have been avoided if they had only heeded God’s council on this point. If we spend more time in our homes watching television than we do reading God’s instructions for us, what does that say about our priorities?
Unfortunately there are also some Christian homes in which happiness could not be found. The Declaration of Independence declares that “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Like Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes, many families have followed the wrong path in that pursuit. Some have looked for happiness in education (Ecclesiastes 1:16–18), some in vain pleasures and material possessions (2:1–11), and others in their work (2:12–16). True happiness comes only from obeying God (12:13). When families fail to obey God, problems arise. Husbands fail to love their wives as Christ loves His church (Ephesians 5:25). Wives cease to submit to their husbands (Ephesians 5:22; 1 Peter 3:6). Children stop obeying their parents (Ephesians 6:1–2). Only the family that loves, obeys, and serves God will find true and lasting happiness.
Maybe it’s time for a home makeover. Under the Old Testament law, the Israelites were commanded to remove every trace of leaven from their dwelling places during the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 12:19). When Paul rebukes the Corinthian church for suffering a brother to live in fornication, he commands them to “purge out the old leaven” and to “keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:7–8). If there are things in your house that don’t belong in the home of a Christian, why not get rid of them? And if there are some things that are missing, put them back in their proper place. If you need to “set your house in order” (2 Kings 20:1), now is the perfect time to start (2 Corinthians 6:2).