HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

"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

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Over the last four messages, we have examined the first four of God’s Ten Commandments and have seen where they all were focused on how believers are to relate to Him.

No other gods were to come before Him.

No idols were to be fashioned so to be worshiped and bowed down to.

The Lord’s name was never to be used misused in any way.

and

The seventh day of any week, a day the Lord specified as the Sabbath, was to be kept holy and restful with no work being performed.

This brings us to today as we begin to look at the other six commandments which instruct us on how we are to act toward one another. This final block of commands begins with attention to how we are to treat our parents. Here’s what we find in Exodus, chapter 20, verse 12:

"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you."

You know, as far back as I can remember, I was taught to respect my father and mother. I was blessed to have wonderful parents who raised me up in a little western Pennsylvania from birth through my elementary and teenage years leading up to adulthood. Throughout those formative years, my parents expended every ounce of their energy to teach me the difference between right and wrong as well as obedience to their rules and expectations and I learned quickly that as long as I did what I was supposed to do, life was good. But, if I got out of line, well, I could expect that discipline would be administered, teaching me that it was better for me to be compliant with what they expected.

As I grew older into adulthood, I began to realize that the way I acted in life was a direct reflection on my parents. I felt a sense of accountability there, a knowing that my behavior reflected more than just on me and so I worked hard to not discredit them in any way.

And so I had and will always have the utmost respect for my father and mother and feel that I can best honor them by becoming the best man that I can be. Through the Lord’s work in my life, another of the foundations laid down by my parents, I feel like I’m succeeding in reaching that goal.

One other important thing that I have learned and want to share. For when it comes down to it, true esteem shown to your father and mother is a by-product of the esteem you first develop for your heavenly Father, the very One who placed you into the care of your parents in the first place. For if you don’t respect the Lord, you won’t respect others either. Neither will you respect yourself.

Going back to the fifth commandment, we learn that there is a reward awaiting anyone who willingly chooses to honor their parents. For the Lord promises this:

“...so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you."

In the case of the people of Israel, God was talking about Canaan, the land He had promised to their ancestors and was leading them to.

As for believers today, the Lord is vowing to bless our lives wherever we are, in the place we reside, the space the Lord has given us.

It’s a wonderful assurance and one we should rejoice and be glad in. All we need to do to gain it is to honor our father and mother.

How are you doing in this regard?

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.