DCLM Daily Manna 2025: DCLM Daily Manna 8 March 2025: The Ideal Family
Text: Psalm 128:1-6 (KJV)
1 Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.
2 For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.
3 Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.
4 Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD.
5 The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.
6 Yea, thou shalt see thy children’s children, and peace upon Israel.
KEY VERSE: Psalm 128:
“Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.”
In Hyderabad, India, between the 1960s and 1970s, the story is told about Malla Reddy whose family structure and life has continued to inspire many. Malla Reddy, Annamma Reddy, their children: John, James, Mary, Martha were devout Christians in a predominantly Hindu area. Despite facing social ostracism and economic challenges, they remained steadfast in their faith. They raised their children with strong Christian values, emphasizing education, charity, and community service. Their home became a place of worship and fellowship for other Christians in the area. Their dedication inspired their children to pursue various ministries, spreading the gospel and serving the needy. This enviable family stands in contrast against societies that are now redefining the concept of marriage and family life.
Psalm 128 presents the reality and possibility of having an ideal and desirable godly family in any part of the world regardless of the challenges confronting our world. The parents and children are recipients of God’s grace and they demonstrate godly values and virtues. The father in the home fears the Lord – placing the family under the firm control of God’s word. The wife is described as a fruitful vine by the sides of the house, not a brier or a thorn in the wild desert. The children, like olive plants, sit around the table, meaning that they live under the protection and guidance of their parents and are obedient to instructions. The stable family then receives divine blessings from God that include long life and prosperity. The unity, cohesion, and stability of the family life serve as the bedrock for a strong society and a source of blessing to the Church.
More significantly, the passage also shows the large-scale impact of having such godly families in our society. Where the family system is respected and protected, stable family structures promote peace, goodness, and blessings in our nations. As Christians, we must set the example of building the ideal family so that our homes become the role models for the modern society that is drifting away from the divinely established holy estate.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
If God leads your marriage, you’ll stop enduring and start enjoying it.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Numbers 3-4
Daily Manna 8 March 2025
