God, give us Christian homes

What has gone wrong over these centuries to bring God’s creation to our current state of turning our backs on Him? But, unfortunately, we readily pass the blame elsewhere.

I grew up with a favorite hymn on page 397 of the Baptist hymnal. It was and still is one of my favorites. Its name is “God, Give Us Christian Homes.” Stanza one says the Bible must be the foundation: “God, give us Christian homes! Homes where the Bible is loved and taught, Homes where the Master’s will is sought, Homes crowned with beauty Thy love has wrought. God give us Christian homes!”

The Bible must be loved and taught at home because it is God’s inspired message for all humankind (2 Timothy 3:16-17). When the Bible is the family’s foundation, the Master’s will is sought because the members will develop the attitude, “Not my will, but Thine be done.” (Luke 22:42). Such a home will be crowned with the beauty of God’s love because it will be built upon the Lord’s will. (Psalm 127:1).

Stanza two says that the father must be true and strong. “God, Give us Christian homes! Homes where the father is true and strong, Homes that are free from the blight of wrong, Homes that are joyous with love and song. God give us Christian homes!” The husband and father must love their wife and children. (Colossians 3:19). He must take the lead in keeping the home free from wrong by commanding them to keep the ways of the Lord. (Genesis 18:19). He must also take the lead in promoting the joyousness of song and teaching them to love the Lord. (Deuteronomy 6:5-7).

Stanza three says that the mother must be queen and show that God’s will is best. “God give us Christian homes! Homes where the mother, in queenly quest, Strives to show others Thy way is best, Homes where the Lord is an honored guest. God, give us Christian homes.!” The wife and mother are the home’s queen because she is to guide or manage the household. (1 Timothy 5:14). She shows others that God’s way is best by submitting to her husband and doing what is proper for the family. (Colossians 3:18). When the mother truly loves her husband and children, the Lord will be an honored guest in that home because the word of God cannot be blasphemed. (Titus 2:4-5).

Stanza four says that the children must be taught to know the Lord. “God, give us Christian homes! Homes where the children are led to know Christ in His beauty Who loves them so, Homes where the altar fires, burns, and glows. God Give us Christian homes.!” Parents must train their children to love and obey God first and then the parents. (Colossians 3:2021). In this way, the children will be led to know the beauty and love of Christ. (Ephesians 5:1-2). The altar fires represent the home’s emphasis on making God’s will the center of the home so that the parent’s faith is passed on to the children. (2 Timothy 1:3-5).

B.B. McKinney wrote and published this hymn in 1949. If every family since creation had made the lyrics of this hymn the foundation for their lives, we would be a Godly world under the one true God. We must place the blame for sin and disobedience to God directly on the evil influence of Satan over God’s creations. However, we must blame ourselves for allowing Satan to influence us to sin, moving us away from God.

The consequences of where we are today concerning God can be associated with submitting to Satan’s temptations and disobeying God’s laws and commandments regarding parents’ and children’s responsibilities. The first family that God created, Adam and Eve, were tempted by Satan, and sin was born into the human race.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6 KJV) This all starts in a Christian home with responsible mothers and fathers raising their children according to God’s word.

The hymn, “God Give Us Christian Homes,” should be memorized and sung regularly in every home and church. But, most important of all, it should be practiced!

God to Give All of His Creation Christian Homes and Christian Hearts.