With All His Household

Some time ago, I was struck by the Spiritual needs of three fathers in the New Testament and how their needs were met by Jesus Christ.

· The first was a nobleman whose son was at the point of death (John 4:46-54).

· The second was the Philippian jailor who was about to take his own life because his jail had fallen apart (Acts 16:22-40).

· The third was Cornelius, a Roman army officer who was searching for God (Acts 10).

All of their needs were urgent, desperate needs—so urgent that in each case the man sought help and got the help he wanted, and more, in a wonderful way.

Here is something extra that blessed me in reading these paragraphs.

“By this the father knew that it was at the very time when Jesus had said to him, ‘Your son is living,’ and he himself, with all his household, believed in Jesus” (John 4:53).

“Afterwards he took them up to his house and set before them something to eat, rejoicing that he, with all his household, had some to believe in God” (Acts 16:34).

“Cornelius reverenced God with all his household…. Cornelius was expecting them, and had invited his relations and intimate friends to meet them…. Before Peter had finished saying these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all who were listening to the message” (Acts 10:1-2, 24, 44).

When the father found the answer, the family found the answer. If the wife and children are not doing well, it is very likely because the father has needs that he is not urgent about. In each of these instances, when the father believed, the family believed. Let us pray for fathers of families.

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