Something caught my attention lately, as I was reading Nancy Demoss Wolgemuth’s book Adorned about Titus 2.
She makes the point that God is a homemaker.
It blew my mind a little bit. Why hadn’t I ever realized this before?!
Jesus Himself promised: “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” John 14:2
Throughout Scripture the Lord makes homes and calls Himself our home.
“Father of the fatherless and protector of widows
is God in his holy habitation.
God settles the solitary in a home;
he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.” Psalm 68:5-6
“Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.” Psalm 90:1
In seeing all this, my “theology” of homemaking changed dramatically.
God calls us to homemaking because it’s no small matter – it’s part of who He is. It is about building places where His Kingdom can grow and flourish.
Homemaking for Dummies?
Growing up, being a “housewife” or “homemaker” was a joke to me, a 1950’s ideal I didn’t think fit in our modern culture.
In my endless interests and love for academia I had many dreams – varying from becoming a surgeon to a travel journalist – and raising a family would be squeezed in there somewhere.
Then I became a Christian, and my priorities started shifting. A few years later I married… and reality hit. My grade in domestic tasks was close to flunking.
I remember timidly asking my husband how to clean the bathroom, or the way he washed dishes. Dinners were a laughable attempt at Pinterest recipes. I went from acing exams at a top-tier university to wondering how to cook a piece of chicken and do a load of delicates.
Talk about humbling.
By that point I knew managing the home was my responsibility as a wife, because the Bible said so (Titus 2:5). I didn’t question it, but I was clueless and discouraged.
If you’re feeling this way, there’s hope!
Gradually, with advice from sweet friends (and Google) my understanding of cleaning and nurturing our abode grew.
And what was the major game-changer?
I started embracing the amazing reason why God wants women to keep the home: “to give a taste of heaven.” (DeMoss)
A Temporary Place with Eternal Impact
For the most part, we as women naturally love making things beautiful. Even if we can’t do it ourselves, we can create a vision for it or appreciate it when it’s there.
Why?
Because God is beautiful, and is the Author of beauty. We were designed to worship Him and reflect Him as creatures made in His image.
Homemaking is one way we do this. If our heart is renewed in Christ, we can direct our creative and organizational skills to magnify His beauty to our families and the world.
While we can enjoy decorating rooms for the holidays, or whipping up a gourmet meal, this call God gives us doesn’t need to be complicated.
Homemaking isn’t being the next DIY star or splurging to make a HGTV status design, but creating an environment that allows for beauty to arise in hearts.
An environment of peace, of order, just like our God is. A place of meaning, of gathering, where life and fellowship thrive.
We can renew the example of the early church.
“And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts…” Acts 2:46
As Nancy Wolgemuth puts it: “[A] home is not an idol or an end to itself. It is a tool, a means of putting the gospel and the grace of God on display.”
Remember, homemaking is not the number one priority, but it is a priority that helps us meet all those above it.
By loving our homes we provide a central place to help our husbands, disciple our children, and to witness to our friends.
This can only happen when we see this calling as a joy.
Our Home Reflects Our Heart
“The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.” Proverbs 14:1
Who wants to destroy their home? Not me, and I’m guessing not you! Humor aside, this is striking, because it shows homemaking is connected to our character.
When done right, homemaking is one way love is made tangible.
Our attitude can make or break our home. Our motivation is as important as our maintenance.
What we do within the walls of our home shows what’s within the walls of our heart.
Rather than give into laziness or stress for the image of perfection, the Lord wants us to shine joy, faithfulness, and kindness through heartfelt care.
At home we have privacy and independence, and this can tempt us into letting it fall into neglect. We can exert our energies elsewhere, and forget our home impacts those closest to us. However, God desires our devotion to Him there, because that’s where life is most intimately shared.
The opposite can happen too. In our ambitious attempts to meal plan or create cleaning schedules, let’s not become so caught up in the results that we forget to love in the process.
We can find balance in our housekeeping tasks if we remember Who we do it for.
We can rest in Jesus even if not every room is squeaky clean, because we have an understanding that outward perfection is not what matters, but inward worship.
There’s a reason God placed the Proverbs 31 woman in the Bible – not to burden us with a impossible to-do list but to inspire us to fill our days with good works that glorify Him.
“She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.” Proverbs 31:27
The Lord has entrusted all of us with the care of eternal souls, and we can do our part by fostering a setting where His glory shines for them.
[Related: What the Proverbs 31 Woman Teaches Us About Productivity]
To give you a visible reminder of this incredible mission He’s given us, I’m giving away this sweet wooden plank art from DaySpring to hang in your home! Enter until March 1st below!
I am so glad you wrote this! I always feel so bad because I’m a horrible homemaker. But I try!
I totally feel you – good homemaking is hard! We can always grow in it. The key is seeing how important it is to God and the joy it can bring to others, which gives us incredible motivation. We can clean and care for our homes one step at a time, and praise God for His grace! 🙂
Amen!
Dani,
Thank you for sharing this subject. We’re to account for our works and honor our Father in all our ways. Glory be to God. Rejoicing in thanksgiving always, managing our temple with the desire for Gods instruction.
So true – it’s humbling to know we’re accountable for how we care for our families, and it’s such a wonderful way to glorify God! Thank you for reading, Rosie!
Amen, amen, amen: “God calls us to homemaking because it’s no small matter – it’s part of who He is. It is about building places where His Kingdom can grow and flourish.” So great to read others encouraging Christian women to life the Titus 2 life!
Thank you
Thanks, Tamara! We have to keep recognizing how much our homes can beautiful tools for sharing the Gospel!
I’m so glad I got the email today about this blog post because it’s so important! I have yet to be married, but I try to be a homemaker as a daughter in my house. Being the only Christian in my household is difficult, but being a homemaker is essential to that because I’m trying to be the light. I’m trying to bring the same atmosphere that I feel in Christian households to my home as well because so many people don’t realize that your home can reflect your Christianity and can help in spreading the Gospel to others who come to it or live in it. Thank you so much for this! Love your blog posts!
Your testimony is so encouraging Kassie! I pray that you continue to bless and witness to your family and friends in this way! 🙂
We have been called to be “helpers.” Homemaking is part of helping. Helping our husbands and children. How happy are our husbands when they come home to find a warm meal after a long day of work. Or wake up to their favorite breakfast. How assuring is it for our children to see that mom cares for them in providing them a good meal and keeping a neat home. A chaotic house doesn’t represent the God we serve. A God who looks and cares for the details and who likes order. Homemaking is not about perfectly decorated homes with Martha Steward meals. But it’s about putting love and care into our service; doing it unto the Lord. Let us not forget that our actions of homemaking also teach our girls for their future and helps teach our boys how a God-fearing wife serves. Thank you Dani. Another great post. ❤️
So well said, Veronica! It’s those little acts of care that can mean so much and reflect our Heavenly Father the greatest! I look forward to teaching my daughter homemaking skills.
I always want my home to feel like a safe haven to all who enter. I want them to feel the love of God when they are there.
Amen, me too! Praying God helps us to that end, no matter what our life looks like.
Hi Dani
Thank you for sharing Gods Word and reminding us of what God is asking us as homemakers.
In His Service,
Debi
Thank you for the kind words, Debi!
I LOVE this post!!! I’m new to your site and have just fallen in love❤️. I was teaching my children Genesis and discussing God placing Adam in the garden of Eden when I realized that God was a homemaker…I was also blown away by the ephinany. I felt such a stronger sense of worth in my work as a homemaker, so I love that you wrote about this. New subbie????
Oh that’s such a neat point about the Garden of Eden – and to think God has given us a home by simply being the Creator of earth itself! So thankful for your visit and that you joined the Free Indeed tribe! 🙂
I am excited to learn from this blog. Plus to have new friends.
Awesome Patti! Thank you for visiting and happy to have you! God Bless 🙂
Thank you for all the time and work you put into the kingdom of God. I myself and so glad the Lord led me here. God has spoken to me when I needed him through the many stories, testimonies and studies. Again, thank you.
Thank you, Debra! Your encouragement greatly blesses my heart! Praise God He led you here and is using His Word to work in you. 🙂
Thank you for this heartfelt post. I can relate to struggling with my homemaking duties those first years. I am slowly finding peace and joy in tending to the needs of my home & family. Homemaking is a part of Gods design for a reason. Stay encouraged!
Aw, thanks for sharing Christina! I think many women in our day are in the same boat of having to learn later in life, and I’m so thankful God’s Word can both challenge and encourage us to preserve the ministry of homemaking!
I am a terrible homemaker. I dont enjoy being a housewife, staying home all day with my kids while my dreams are getting away from me with every moment passing by. I cry everytime I am cleaning or doing laundry and you have no idea how angry I get when I have to cook. I spend time fighting my husband and mad at my kids and I dont eant to be this kind of mom or wife anymore. I want to serve them, not blame them for this life. I want to worship God in every little way at home and create a place where my family feel loved and taken care of. Your post helped me see housemaking differently. Thank you, ????
I just found your site via Pinterest while searching ‘ Scripture about home keeping”.
What a treasure I found here! You are a dear, solid Christian woman, that is very clear and I am blessed to have discovered you!
There are also advanced skills we can add to our home making skills. Some of these include making natural home remedies, foraging for wild edibles, etc. There is just so much more to learn that we can add to what we already know. We should be constantly learning and experimenting.