This week’s devotions are based on Week 9 of the Series Ephesians: Becoming Who You Are (CLICK HERE)
Ephesians 6:1-3 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”
I am not sure how many children read this devotion, but there are some thoughts here for parents as well. When Martin Luther penned an explanation to this command he said, “We should fear and love God so that we do not despise or anger our parents and other authorities, but honor them, serve and obey them, love and cherish them.”
For sure the first relationship that God is speaking into is the child to their parents. God has set up the social structure of the family so that children ideally have a mother and a father who love them and are willing to train and guide them in the ways of the Lord. The developing mind of a child needs the adult mind of a parent to guide their thoughts, direct their action, and be used by God to mold their children into the ways of the Lord. Perhaps this is not the woke thinking of today that believes a child should fill the blank slate of their mind in whatever they think is best. That parents are just providers of what is needed to sustain physical life and should leave the emotional, relational and spiritual development up to the child to chart their ways. Perhaps this command has almost been reversed in some instances so that it might read, “Parents, honor your children. Parents, obey your children.”
To be sure there have been parents who have shirked their responsibility to love and care for their children and abused and horribly neglected their duties. For this we are saddened of the impact on the hearts and lives of the children.
But that doesn’t make the need for God’s direction to children and parents to change. In fact, it highlights the need for godly parents to provide a godly environment of care and leadership for their children. Satan loves to work on the minds of malleable children. Without the care of a loving parent, the lies and deceit of Satan can fill the mind and heart of a child. Secularism, humanism, atheism, genderism, and much more are being communicated in the halls of education, the screens of cell phones, and the airwaves of Netflix. So the input of a parent who trains in the love and ways of the Lord is one which creates an environment where obedience is engendered and expected. Because for the child, we ultimately desire that they follow their Savior, not just have good behavior. Paul writes in Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Just like the husband-wife relationship is dependent on both walking with the Lord, so a godly home and parenting is dependent on parents walking with the Lord and leading their children to do the same. Parenting is not just providing a roof and three meals, but it is providing the boundaries of God’s love and law and taking time to guide your child to know and love and follow their Savior.
So kids, see your parents as they are, a gift from God to give you guidance in life.
Parents, see your children as they are, a precious gift from God to guide in the path of eternal life.
Kids, you have God’s forgiveness when you fail to obey.
Parents, you have God’s forgiveness when you fail to parent in a godly way.
Kids, you have God’s Spirit to guide and mold your heart in God’s love and grace.
Parents, you have God’s Spirit to guide and mold your heart in God’s love and grace.
So, children, obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. Parents, train your children in the ways of the Lord, for this is right.
God bless today as you live for him!
Apply: What is one thing you can do today as a parent or child to bring your family closer to Jesus?
Prayer: Lord, thank you for our families. Forgive our failings. Strengthen us in our resolve to walk more closely with you each day, AMEN.