365 Blessings- February 15

"Honor your father and mother" - which is the first commandment with a promise
- (Ephesians 6:2)

Not all children would approve of that, but the Word of God is Truth and it cannot be
changed. As the verse states, it's the first commandment with a promise. What promise?
This one:
"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your
God is giving you. (Exodus 20:12)

Well, it's an Old Testament promise, but holds good because the Apostle Paul reiterates it
while writing to the Ephesians. Writing to the Colossians, Paul gives this advice:
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. (Colossians 3:20)
Some children of believer's will find that hard to digest, but then it is the Word of God and
it cannot be changed.

As children grow up and mature, their thinking and responding to situations may not
match with the parent's thinking and things start going awry.
One clue to how far children should go in obeying parents is given in another exhortation
that the Apostle gives to wives.
Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. (Colossians 3:18)
As is fitting in the Lord. That's what is important. Anything that is not right according to
the Word of God need not be obeyed or given into by a child. Of course, some children
have no choice because of the strictness and unyielding nature of their parents.
Nevertheless, obedience of children to their parents bring great blessings in their lives
including the one mentioned in the title verse.
Are you a child? Do you obey your parents?
Are you a parent? Does your child/children obey you?

Ponder this for a moment. Find the reasons of why you don't/can't obey your parents or
why your child/children don't obey you?
If both are living according to the Word, there will be a good relationship. If not, your
heart needs a probing and things have to be set right. The sooner the better.