Devotional - Ministering To Your Family First
“If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?” – 1 Timothy 3:5
David Kraft grew up in a Christian family in the South San Francisco Bay area of Northern California. His father, Dr. Roy Kraft, was a minister – a godly man who worked at Twin Lakes Baptist Church in Santa Cruz, California. Young David grew up with his father’s love and his father’s consistent example. When he was old enough to make the decision for himself, he chose to become a Christian. In time, David also became a minister at Scotts Valley Baptist Church in Santa Cruz.
David was a big, athletic young man. At age 32 he was six feet two inches tall and weighted two hundred pounds. He worked with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
In 1973, David was diagnosed with cancer. The disease wracked his body and over a period of time he dropped from two hundred pounds to just eighty pounds.
When he was about ready to pass from this life into eternity, he asked his father to come into his hospital room. Lying there on the bed, David looked up and said, "Dad, do you remember when I was a little boy, how you used to hold me in your arms close to your chest?"
Roy nodded. Then David said, "Do you think, Dad, you could do that for me one more time?"
Roy nodded again and bent down to pick up his 32-year-old, six-foot-two-inch, eighty-pound son. As he held him close to his chest, his son’s face was right next to his. The two were eye to eye. Tears were streaming down both faces. David said simply to the father, "Thank you for building the kind of character into my life that can enable me to face even a moment like this."
Our first ministry is to our family to see them grow in Christ Jesus. Today in prayer, praise the Lord for your family and seek to teach and to encourage them to grow in Christ.
"The mind of Christ is to be learned in the family. Strength of character may be acquired at work, but beauty of character is learned at home. There the affections are trained." - Henry Drummond
God’s Word: “But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God.” – 1 Timothy 5:4
By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2012, Devotional E-Mail
DEVOTIONS IN 1 TIMOTHY