Ephesians 6:1

Ephesians 6:1 Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

Colossians 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord.

I've learned that in order to obey your parents you have to have a respect for them. A fear almost.  If you don't respect your parents, how can you obey anything they are telling you to do. Everything they tell you to do is seen from a perspective of a blind, prideful, ignorant child. Paul is telling us to do this because it's the Lord's will, and it's what He requires.

Paul is telling us to do this simply because its the Lords will, and it's what He requires. Paul is a man who stood under authority, and knows whats its like to continuously learn obedience.

Even so, why must we obey our parents? Our parents are God chosen, God given, and God breathed. And they too, were formed in their mother's womb, the Lord knowing there every detail so intricately woven before it came to pass. My mind wanders off to Esau and Jacob. Before jacob was born God promised that His plan (Abrahamic Covenant) would be worked out through Jacob. Although the way he did things wasn't always admirable, he was determined and obedient. He knew God's calling on his life and wasn't going to let it go. When his mother came to him regarding the final plot, to deceive his brother Esau, he could have walked away. When you obey your parents, you are obeying the Lord.

These verses were convicting for me, i know i haven't been the most obedient child. In times of obedience i acted out in disobedience. And to know that I disobeyed my parents is to know that i disobeyed God. I’m here at Ignite under a different kind of authority. Although I may not be able to turn back time and react differently to situations, i can live in the present and be obedient.

APPLICATION

Today, i will reread the story of Jacob and Esau, and learn what it is like to be obedient, despite knowing God's plan for my life.