We’re beginning a new series called “Family First”, where we explore God’s design for the family—prioritizing relationships and building healthy homes grounded in biblical truth.

Family is where we often inherit traits. People might say, “You laugh just like your mom,” or “You walk just like your dad.” Parents of newborns hear, “She has your eyes” or “He has your nose.” These family resemblances can be beautiful reminders of our roots.

But it’s not just the good things we inherit. Sometimes, we also carry the brokenness. Many of us grew up in homes where love, stability, or faith weren’t modeled.

Here’s the good news: no matter what your earthly family looks like, you were made in the image of your Heavenly Father. God has a design, a blueprint, a factory setting for what family was always meant to be.

God’s Original Design for Family

Every design has a designer. Scripture shows us this in Genesis 1:26–27 (NIV): “Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’ So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them."

When people look at us, they should catch a glimpse of our Heavenly Father. That’s why Paul urges us in Ephesians 5:1 (NLT): “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.”

In family life, this means more than carrying biological features. It’s about reflecting God’s character—loving, forgiving, serving, and speaking to one another in a way that mirrors Jesus.

The challenge is that many try to build family life without consulting the Designer. We turn to culture, self-help, or even repeat the unhealthy patterns we grew up with. But if we want God’s results, we must follow God’s design.

God’s Design Is Beautiful—But We Broke It

God’s blueprint for family is first seen in the creation of Adam and Eve.

Genesis 2:18, 24–25 (NIV): “The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’ … That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.”

Here we see God’s original intention: a relationship of unity, vulnerability, and love—naked and unashamed.

But in Genesis 3, sin enters the picture. The serpent whispers doubt: “Did God really say…?” (Genesis 3:1)

Adam and Eve questioned God’s Word, and in doing so, broke trust with Him. Suddenly, instead of freedom and openness, they experienced fear and shame:

Genesis 3:7 (NIV): “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.”

This same pattern plays out in our homes today. What God designed as beautiful becomes distorted when we follow our own wisdom instead of His. Marriage breakdowns, parent-child conflicts, and family struggles are not merely practical issues—they’re spiritual ones, rooted in the rebellion that began in Genesis 3.

Yet, even in the middle of their shame, God came looking for Adam and Eve: Genesis 3:9: “But the Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’”

This is God’s heart still—calling us back, not to perfection, but to His design.

Returning to Factory Settings

Sin broke what God designed, but the gospel restores it. What was lost in Eden can be redeemed in Christ.

Think about a phone that slows down because too many apps are running in the background. You may not even realize how many are draining the battery: unresolved arguments, unspoken tensions, overextended schedules, and emotional burdens. Sometimes, simply closing apps isn’t enough—you need a full reset.

That’s what Jesus offers for our families: a reset back to God’s original design.

James 4:7 reminds us: “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Healing in the home begins with surrender in the heart. We can’t build God-centered families while holding on to self-centered ways.

The reset begins with Jesus—not only as Savior but also as Lord over marriages, parenting, priorities, and daily life. He restores what is broken and realigns us with the beauty of God’s original blueprint for family.

Moving Forward

Family may carry both blessing and brokenness, but God’s design is greater than our dysfunction. Through Jesus, our homes can be reset, our hearts restored, and our relationships renewed.

The invitation remains the same as in the Garden: God is calling us—Where are you? Will you return to His design?