husband and I met AND got married) to drop off one of our sons for camp. After
the drop off was complete and all goodbyes were said and done, the rest of us
thought as long as we were up there we ought to spend some time enjoying this
special place. We drove down to the lake and went swimming, spent a little time
in the "petting zoo," ( a little place where the little ones LOVE to gather and
pet the bunnies, donkey, sheep and kittys..........I'm so glad my son doesn't
call them "Titties" anymore) and went for a walk. During this walk we found
ourselves in the Chapel of the Pines which is this beautiful outdoor "church" in
the middle of the forest with great big pine trees all around. In the middle of
this gathering place for worshippers is this wonderful old stone pulpit where
thousands of messages of truth have been preached from. Our youngest son, Zeke,
was the first to take the pulpit while the rest of us sat in the benches waiting
for a great sermon. Although I wouldn't be surprised if someday Zeke is a
preacher with all of his passion and the way he loves Jesus, it wasn't his
message that I want to share with you today. After Zeke stepped down moving on
to the "worship/dance team" ( the little stage set up behind the pulpit)
my almost 5 daughter, Reese, thought she would like a turn as a "preacher." As
her dad and I prompted her with the question, "Reese, give us your greatest
message of truth... What do you know that Jesus would say???" She said with
great confidence (as she should because she probably hears it more than anyone
else),
"Obey your mommies and daddies!"
What a great message! What truth proclaimed from the old stone pulpit.
We clapped and "Amened" her short but powerful message (must be taking after her
father) and off she went to be a part of the "worship/dance" team with her
brother, Zeke.
Hear what God says about obedience:
" Children, OBEY your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father
and mother"- which is the first commandment with a promise- "that it may go well
with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth. Fathers (& mothers), do
not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the TRAINING and
INSTRUCTION of the Lord." Ephesians 6:1-4
It is sooo pleasing to God when children obey (quickly and cheerfully) their
parents. (including us obeying him, our Heavenly Father). Why? As a parent I'm
sure you can understand and relate to the pleasure obedience brings. How does it
feel to your soul when your children obey you without putting up a fight? How
does if feel when they rebel and disobey???
Children obeying their parents is a HUGE topic in God's word. One of the
Proverbs says:
"The eye that mocks a father,
that scorns OBEDIENCE to a mother,
will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures."
Prov. 30:17
We want to teach our children that obeying us is whispering "I love you, mom or
dad."
I tell my children often after they have obeyed me, "I just felt sooo loved by
you....Thank you!"
1 John 5: 3 says, "This is love for God; to obey his commands."
Jesus himself said in John 14:31
"The world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my
Father has commanded me."
Jesus knew his Father. He knew his Father was sooooo good, knew what was best
for him, was full of wisdom, provided everything he needed and loved him. Out of
this love came his desire to obey.
As parents, may we take seriously our walk with God . May we seek to be holy
leaving no room for our kids to accuse us or call us hypocrites asking them to
obey us but not seeing us obey our heavenly Father. May we seek forgiveness when
we fail. May our goodness to them and our wisdom with them cause their love for
us to grow deep creating in them a desire to obey us out of LOVE not because
they are forced to. May they FEEL and KNOW how much we love them through
everything we say, don't say, do , don't do, through the looks on our faces and
all of our body language.
As we train them to obey us, we are training them to obey God which will lead to
the most abundant life possible here on earth.
So moms....may we love our children well today and be careful not to
"exasperate" them ( make them angry & irritated; provoke..) May we train them in
obedience, instruct them and may we ourselves be obedient children to our
"Father" because we love Him. Obedience brings blessings.
"Obey your mommies and daddies!"
-Reese's first sermon given on 7/11/10 @ CHR
Blessings from Bombadil. Kristy
"I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so
that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on
account of me." Phillipians 1:25 & 26
