I still remember sitting in church services with my mom and dad. Dad would be sitting in the middle with mom and I on either side. Whenever this passage was being read from the pulpit, my dad would elbow me. "Are you listening," he would ask. "Pay attention to what he's saying." Then he would wink at me. Yeah, I got the point.
"Honor your father and mother"--which is the first commandment with a promise-- "so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." (Ephesians 6:2-3 NIV)
I don't really remember much about this second part of the passage, probably because dad was talking to me while they were reading it. Now that I read it today, though, I really like this part. Obeying my parents comes with a promise. I will enjoy long life on the earth. Not bad.
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4 NIV)
I always remember this last part of the passage, though. Maybe it was because dad was done picking on me by this time. More probably, though, I remember it because it was the part I could use to pick on him. Right about the time the person was reading this verse, I would elbow my dad. "Are you listening," I would ask. "Pay attention to what he's saying." Then I would wink back. Dad would smile. He got the point, too.
I don't know if you've been tracking these blog post/devotionals for the past few days or not, but I want to pause for a moment to recap the picture thus far. Children are supposed to follow their parents. Wives follow their husbands as they follow the Lord. Husbands love their wives in the same way they follow the Lord. The Lord, Jesus, follows the Father and, as a result, every person, couple, and family are following God. When we lead by following as God outlines here, we all end up walking together with God.
So, how about you? Are you a follower? Do you follow God? Does it show? How?
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