Hennie Symington

If the Lord does not build the house,

The work of the builders is useless. Psalm 127:1

This day is not just another Family Day; it’s a day to consider the state of the family in society. The nuclear family is probably the most important, yet the most threatened structure in existence. When two people marry and choose to have children, they would surely take into consideration the implications of having children before they take that step. That is to be hoped for. A family is not just another accrual of assets which you can dispose of as you wish. You are in fact, holding the wellbeing of generations to come in your hands.

Think of the family as a greenhouse where seedlings are planted and tended with utmost care. And just as there are some plants that struggle to survive or need extra attention and care, in the same way there are children who need more attention than others. The difference is, you can’t just pull up a child and throw it away like you would a wilting plant. In the same way, there are children who flourish without much attention. If you have ones like that, consider yourself blessed.

God appointed you as parents (that goes for caregivers and foster parents alike) as keepers of the garden like Adam and Eve. Where the one partner fails, the other one will stand in for him or her. Where the one digs the soil and makes the flower beds, the other waters, feeds and trims the plants.

Of course there’s one important difference between the garden in Genesis and the garden you and your partner have created. You may not abandon or neglect this garden for then it will be smothered by thorns and thistles. Your comfort and strength however, is that the great Gardner keeps an eye on your garden, regardless of what form it takes. He digs the soils where you’ve missed, and waters the garden where you’ve neglected to do so.

Prayer: On this day of celebrating the family, remind us of our important role as caregivers. We thank you for the privilege of being part of a family when so many others are not so blessed. We pray for single parent families, those who have been separated from their families and those who have lost their families. Amen