Relational God and family in his image

One afternoon, I took my teenage daughter to an ice-cream corner—just the two of us. As we were enjoying our time, my phone rang. I declined the call and sent the auto-reply: “I’m in a meeting.” She looked puzzled and asked, “Why did you lie?” I smiled and replied, “Why do you think that’s a lie? This is a personal meeting—just you and me. That’s more important to me than answering that call right now.” Her eyes softened with understanding.

That brief exchange reminded me of something profound: relationships are not interruptions; they are the priority. Especially in family.

The Bible tells us in 1 John 4: “God is love… We love because He first loved us.” The God we worship is not distant or detached—He is a relational God, and family is His design to reflect that love.

As theologian Peter Kreeft puts it, “If God is not a Trinity, God is not love. For love requires three things: a lover, a beloved, and a relationship between them.” Within the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—there is perfect, eternal fellowship. This divine love was not created when humans appeared; it has always existed. It is from this overflow that human relationships, especially family, were birthed.

F – Fellowship Within the Trinity

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God… God is love.” (1 John 4:7–8)

Before anything else was created, God enjoyed perfect fellowship within Himself. The love shared among Father, Son, and Spirit was the original community. Our families are meant to mirror that joy, harmony, and self-giving love.

In practical terms: Do our homes reflect this unity? Are we drawing our love from the source—God Himself—or just surviving on our own strength?

A – Affirming One Another in Love

“Since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another…” (1 John 4:11–12)

God affirms us not because we earn His love but because He is love. He embraces us with grace, not perfection. Families flourish when members learn to speak life into each other—through encouragement, active listening, and empathy.

Think about your recent words to your spouse, children, or parents. Were they life-giving or critical? Affirmation opens hearts and builds trust.

M – Mutual Honour and Equality

“If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar…” (1 John 4:20)

In God’s family, there is no room for inequality or domination. Within the Trinity, each Person is equal in value and fully honoured. Our families should reflect this same spirit—free from hierarchy or competition.

Too often, love is withheld based on performance or position. But in God’s design, every member—child or elder, husband or wife—is to be valued and heard.

I – Intentional in Fellowship

“Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” (1 John 4:16)

Fellowship doesn’t just happen—it must be intentional. The Trinity is constantly connected in relationship. Similarly, strong families make time to grow together. Meals, prayers, laughter, and shared moments matter.

My time with my daughter that day wasn’t spectacular, but it was sacred—because it was intentional. In a world that’s constantly busy, the sacred often hides in the simple.

L – Love as the Foundation

“There is no fear in love… We love because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:18–19)

The foundation of God’s relationship with us is not fear or duty—but love. In many homes, rules or expectations replace love, resulting in anxiety, not belonging.

But God’s love casts out fear. He doesn’t love us more when we succeed or less when we fail. Our families need to operate on that same foundation—where love is constant and secure.

As Saint Sharbel once revealed through the experience of Raymond Nader: “Every family is a holy family because it is the image of God the Trinity. The corruption of the family means a corruption of the image of God.”

Let that sink in. When families are broken, it's not just a social issue—it distorts the very image of God to the world. That’s why family matters so much to heaven. 

Y – Yielding to God’s Design

“If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.” (1 John 4:15)

God’s design for family is not random—it is relational and redemptive. Yielding to His plan means letting go of our pride, agendas, or past wounds, and allowing Him to reshape our hearts and homes.

It means acknowledging that love starts with God—and is sustained by God.

A Final Word

Our families are not just social units. They are reflections of divine love. And God—being relational at His core—wants your home to be a living testimony of that love.

So next time someone calls while you're with your child, spouse, or parent—pause. Maybe that moment is more important than the call. Maybe that’s the meeting that matters most.

Let’s build homes where love flows freely, grace is spoken daily, and God is honoured fully. Because when we reflect His relational design, we reflect His very nature to the world.