Hi...
This may be a long one, please read though, it is a overflow of my heart.
As a child I spent a lot of time with my grand parents because I lived with them. I still remember my Grandma take me for prayer meetings during week days(I was 4-5 years old)
As a child I remember my mom used to visit a home that housed some 'very old ladies'(senior citizens) with ladies from the church with eatables, warm-clothes, sarees etc.
In those days 'senior citizen homes' were a rare commodity. In fact mom said, she has never seen such homes in her younger days.
But now such homes are all over and all homes are full and over packed. It is a flourishing business for some.
Most of these homes run by Christians.
What has caused this increase and why are old people treated as 'unwanted', 'castaways', 'forgotten ones'?
This has always been my question to my Lord.
We do read in Genesis 2:24,"That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh."
Ephesians 5:31 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."
Many take the "Leave an cleave" to heart and literally some children dump their parents in senior citizen's home, some wash their hands off them, some just have no time for them any more, some don't respect the elderly.
Is that what God wants us to do? He cares for the old.
Isaiah 46:4, "Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you."
I came across the Jewish wedding pattern and it surprised me what I read and then Jesus Himself takes His bride to His Father's house!
So, "Leave the Father's house", I am sure it was not meant literally.
After their children get married parents are to step back, let go and let children take responsibilities, give them their space, not interfere in their decision, their life and choices but still always be there if children need their help or advice.
Children have to make a choice if they want to stay on with their their parents or move out. Even if they don't live with them they are to care for them.
Jesus presented a beautiful picture of heaven when He said, "In my Father's house are many rooms, I am going there to prepare a place for you" (John 14:2-3). Jesus as a bridegroom, is preparing new rooms(mansions) for his followers in the insula of heaven.
By using the familiar images of an insula, Jesus helped his followers to understand the kingdom of God—a household of faith where God's family lives in close community.
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Korazin - The City
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Studying the ruins of Korazin and other Galilean towns, scholars have pieced together a picture of family life in the first century.
Korazin stood in the northwestern corner of the Galilee region, about three miles from the
sea. The nearby cities of Capernaum and Bethsaida joined Korazin as part of the "orthodox triangle," an area inhabited primarily by devout Jews.
Jesus spent a great deal of time in the triangle area, living in Capernaum and teaching in the towns and villages nearby. Just north of Korazin lay the Mount of Beatitudes, the hillside where Jesus may have presented the Sermon on the Mount.
Archaeologists have uncovered various ruins at Korazin. The remains of a synagogue, several buildings, and an oil pressing installation can be seen today. They have also discovered a Moses, seat—the special seat for Torah readers—in the Korazin synagogue.
Studying the ruins of Korazin and other Galilean towns, scholars have pieced together a picture of family life in the first century. As he taught, Jesus drew on many family practices that were common in his day.
The Insula
Jesus used the image of an insula - clusters of buildings where extended families lived together - to describe the kingdom of God.
In Jesus' time, families usually lived in clusters of buildings called Insulas.
These clusters were built around a central courtyard. Grandparents, cousins, uncles, and aunts all lived and interacted together in the insula.
As sons married, they added to the insula. After asking a girl to marry him, the son would return to his village and build new rooms onto his father's home. The son, anxious to be married, waited for the day when his father declared that the building was complete. Then he could finally marry his bride and bring her to their new home.
Jesus presented a beautiful picture of heaven when he said, "In my Father's house are many rooms, I am going there to prepare a place for you" (John 14:2-3). This word-picture presented Jesus as a bridegroom, preparing new rooms for his followers in the insula of heaven.
When Jesus described his second coming, he again used the picture of a young bridegroom, waiting for his father's approval to return for his bride: "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, not the Son, but only the Father" (Matt. 24:36).
By using the familiar images of an insula, Jesus helped his followers to understand the kingdom of God—a household of faith where God's family lives in close community.
<Unquote
When Jesus said, "In My Father's House" He meant it! That was the pattern in a Jewish wedding.
I think we can see what we lost of the Father’s heart today in most marriages today.
Quote> When the bridegroom completed adding a room onto his father’s house, he would return to his bride’s house (usually at night) to retrieve her. Then the groom would take his bride back to their new home, “that where I am there you may be also.”
What a beautiful picture that for a year the "husband to be" had to go away expediently so he could come back and get her and then bring her "to the place' where He made for the TWO OF THEM TO LIVE TOGETHER in their own house but ONE CONNECTED WITH THE BRIDEGROOMS FATHERS HOUSE
Beloveds they were two different homes yet in the same house. The bridegroom made a new room, a new home for them to dwell together in the Father’s house. The new couple would be added to the purpose and plan of the Father for the Son had to learn the trade of the Father to carry on the family business. The bride and grooms room was separate but in total submission to the plan of the Father that was passed down from generation to generation.
I think we can see what we lost of the Father’s heart today in most marriages. This is why their is such an attack of the enemy because he hates marriages. He tries to end them, not have people do them anymore, or pervert them by same sex marriages. Why? Because it is a picture of our life IN CHRIST and our RELATIONSHIP with Jesus IN THE FATHER AND HIS HOUSE!
The one function and purpose as a new family of the bride and groom was to become their own family but still connected to the Father's house and a vital part of that family to bring forth the family purpose and plans. <Unquote
When parents live in a small house and children get married and move out it is understandable but let not the modern life style, 'neuclear family' system influence and overtake 'Biblical values' and standards.
Timothy inherited good values from his grand mom.
The elderly need our touch, care, love! As kids parents and grandparents give their best for us, let us not cast them away when they are old like we throw away the curry leaves and spices that added flavor to the curry!
What would Jesus Christ our Lord do is what we need to do!
Even when on the cross, He remembered His mother and did not want to leave her alone. He trusted John to take good care of her!
John 19: 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman,[b] here is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
Time to restore dignity and honor!
Someone asks, “If your Mother/Dad is too old and bedridden needs 24-hour supervision and the only choices you have is for Mom/Dad to live with you or in a nursing home or senior citizen home, what would you do?"
If you can afford to pay money to a senior citizen's home to keep your aged parent in there, won't they be happier to stay close to you (if you have a spare room to spare) and a nurse take care if you can't?
"If you have a child who is totally bed-ridden, physically challenged, unable to eat or drink on his/her own, would you keep him or her in a nursing home for ever or abandon him/her in an orphanage? Wouldn't you wish they stayed under your care? Even if you had a maid to assist you, you will not want to abandon your child."
Our parents spend sleepless nights, sacrifice their time and energy to give us the best and when they are old we so easily cast them out, get rid of them.
Parents when old become forgetful, confused and are slow in doing things. They do not remember many things, don't take their medication on time, are not able to prepare nutritious meals. Does that really matter to us? Do we really care?
What would Jesus Christ our Lord do in such a situation or any situation is what matters.
I would rather follow the Rabbi, our Good Shepherd. He valued relationships. He came to turn the heart of fathers to children and children to fathers(Malachi 4:5-6).
Be blessed,
Julia
