Honour your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you. – Deuteronomy 5:16 (NKJV)
In recent months, we have celebrated Mother’s Day and Father’s Day on their respective days throughout the world. Oftentimes, our lives become so consumed with tasks and the drive to achieve more that we lose sight of some fundamentals. In our Scripture this morning, we are reminded of one of those fundamentals, namely the importance of honouring our parents. According to this Scripture, we are not simply encouraged to honour our parents, guardians, and those in authority over our lives on specific days designated by tradition. Rather, this is a reminder that this is an ongoing requirement. God attached a promise to it because it is so important.
By honouring our parents, we are expressing our respect for their position in our lives. It is important to value and respect the role that parents/guardians play. In honouring our parents, we bring them joy – Proverbs 23:25. In order to honour, we must put their needs and desires above our own. In order to honour them, we must also respect and forgive them.
By forgiving a dishonourable parent, we liberate ourselves from the burden of hatred and bitterness. As the definition of forgiveness goes, it is not punishing them for their actions, it is allowing God to administer justice, it is wanting the best for them despite the fact that you may be hurt by what they did. By forgiving them, you are able to start a new generational trait of honour.
My prayer for today is that those of us who still have our parents with us – honour them. And those who have children will model this behaviour for them so that they will grow up in a position of love and appreciation for parenthood. We must hold fast to the commandment of God and walk in accordance with His will. Honour your parents.
Prayer
Dear Lord I pray for my parents and those in authority in my life, I pray for Your forgiveness where I have dishonoured them and I ask Lord that You will give me opportunities to salute them with honour. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
Read: Exodus 20:12; Proverbs 23:25; Ephesians 6:1-4; 1 Timothy 5
Bible Reading Guide: Proverbs 17:5-14; Romans 2:17-29; Romans 3:1-8; Amos 1; Amos 2
#parents.#honor.#longlife.#forgiveness.
