Image: davidstanleytravel (Comoros), Flickr
LOVEFAST 5 | COMOROS: MATRILINEALITY – BLESSING OR CURSE?
By Georgina from Mahabba Cheltenham
Daily verse
“That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.”
Thought for the day
The Father's inheritance
I have to confess that as someone with an accent that is ‘not from here’, I adapt the story of my origins depending on the context.
For a diverse British audience, it’s my mother’s father who fought in the Second World War who is emphasised.
For a ‘church audience,’ it’s my father’s mother who died as a young missionary in Africa, who is put to the front.
Of course, our stories may vary but laws and customs are more difficult to change.
Our inheritance, marriage customs and living arrangements may differ widely depending on whether we live in a matrilineal or patrilineal society, whether we’re working class or aristocracy.
It is interesting that the writer of Genesis 2:24 seems to write from a matrilineal perspective, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.’
Do we thank God enough that we do not have to achieve our kingdom inheritance through any of these customs, but that we are given our inheritance in Jesus Christ no matter who our fathers or mothers were?
Inspired by today's entry in 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World
Prayer for the day
Pray for people to be released from the bondage of human social arrangements to experience true freedom in Christ.
Daily action
Try to think carefully about the way you treat mothers and fathers in all your contacts for one day.
Your turn
Let us know how it went! Leave a comment below, or tag us on social media with #lovefast or #30dop hashtags on social media. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter!