Good day dear friends.
We continue to study that which affirms God's intentions for good relationships with our parents/children/others.
Here is our study guide for today:
Tuesday: Let’s go back to the beginning. Paul’s passage yesterday in Ephesians comes from Exodus 20:12. Why do you suppose God would make the relationship between children and their parents such an important subject to merit being placed in the “Big Ten?” Again, ask yourself about your relationship with your parents. If you missed our service of reconciliation and blessing, today might be a good day to enter into a more positive relationship with them, even if they’re no longer with us.
Here is that verse: 12 Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you
A seminary professor that I know and love might say, "This commandment regarding parents comes between resting on the Sabbath and murder!" And indeed it does. It comes after those first commandments regarding our relationship with God. Those put the proper perspective on how we are to view, love, and trust God. The God commandments end with our being renewed and refreshed on the day of rest, known as the Sabbath. The human commandments, those that follow show us the proper perspective we should have towards each other, but they begin with this one that Paul said comes with a promise. If we honor our father and mother (see yesterday's ConCafe for our definition of "honor"), the promise is that we will live "long in the land that the Lord you God is giving you." The promise was first made to the people of Israel in the wilderness. A proper relationship with parents is essential at all times, but especially during difficult situations. One of the most difficult situations I ever encountered was the gift of going away to college. I looked forward to it, I was excited about it, but the reality hit me as that old Chevrolet drove away from the Lon Morris College campus. I was now alone. I have to admit I cried that first night in my bed missing my folks. I did well in college because I honored my mother and father and I would not hesitate to call them before major exams and ask them to pray for me. What an honor they shared with me as they prayed for me and that helped my study time and my exam time. I knew I really didn't have to ask for prayer for they were always praying for me, but it sure helped to tell them, "This Friday I have a big test in whatever." In the same way, Nellie and I rejoice when our girls call and ask us to pray. We're praying all the time for them, but when we know of a specific reason or date of an upcoming exam, our prayers are right there for them.
I mentioned that Sunday at the end of my sermon (which you can hear online at www.fumcsm.org) I invited folks to take a small card that we provided for them and to make the card their own. What I meant was that the card was already preprinted. It said on one side: Mother's Day 2006. The other side said, "Mom, I honor and bless you." Underneath that was a blank line. I invited folks to either love their mom through those words or to make peace with their mom, even if they were dead, through God; making those words of honor and bless, words of reconciliation and forgiveness. The only identifying mark they would make was to sign their first initial on that line. No full name, no last name, just their first initial of their first name. As led, they came to the altar and left those cards there. You can do something similar as needed in the privacy of your home. There is no need to carry around the past. Even if you had the world's worst mom and she's now dead, the memories of those incidents between she and you will trouble you until you die unless you leave them with God. "Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden" said the Lord and He meant it. We cast our anxieties and our hurts with God and God will take care of it. God offers us freedom. We need to take it.
If you're a parent and you're not doing the best job or didn't do such a good job with your kids, here's the good news. You can ask God to help you start over. My grandfather was a great example of that. It wasn't until he surrended to Jesus Christ that his life changed and he became a man of faith and prayer. I always loved him but it was sure easier to love and be inspired by a man whose faith and example was strong in the Lord. None of us are perfect, but through Christ we can be perfected in love.
What are you waiting for?
PRAYER: God of perfect love, come now and offer to me the freedom I need from my past. Help me to overcome any negative thoughts and hurts that I still carry from years ago. Give me the courage and the love to be the parent that I need to be to my children and to those around me. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
