CD - The Fourth Commandment - Ephesians 6:2-3

Just as children are a gift from God, as a part of the joy of coming together as a husband and wife, so parents are a gift to children of all ages. Too often we forget, as we grow older, that our parents are still our parents and we are to obey and honor them as well.

And we are also reminded that this commandment does not speak just of parents, but speaks to us of how our Lord rules over us, not directly, but indirectly, through mediators, bosses, employers, teachers, mayors, governors, presidents, and so on. Our Lord gives us these people to rule over us in order to keep law and order, peace and harmony in the land. Even if our leaders are not Christian leaders, and that is a great possibility in the world in which we live, we are to obey and honor them, as long as, and only if, they do not try to tell us to do something which God forbids. Yes, God can and does even use non-Christian leaders to do His will, that is, keep law and order, peace and harmony.

According to this commandment we are not to “despise or anger our parents and other authorities.” Yet, there are the things we get to do. We get to “honor them, serve and obey them, love and cherish them.” “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord” (Colossians 3:20). “Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good” (Titus 3:1). We get to be thankful that we have rulers, parents and other authorities, whom the Lord has given to us in order to keep us safe. There are many places, many countries in our world, where there is no stable government, where there is chaos and anarchy, where there is not freedom nor peace.

We live in a world in which the word “obey” has become a negative word. To obey, according to our world, implies weakness. We are told that we are to make our own way, to do our own thing, and really, that we are not responsible for ourselves. We are told that we are merely products of our society, that we are accidents of nature, and that this world and this life is all that we have. It really is a sad and frightening thing to be told that this is all that we have and once it is gone that is all there is. And it is even more frightening to think about the prospect that death brings an end to all. Fortunately for us Christians we know that none of this is true. We are not accidents of nature, we are people planned, created and loved by God. Because we are God’s people we also know that He has a plan for us, that He cares for us and that all that He does He does because of His love for us. Thus, to obey Him is not a burdensome task, nor is it is show of weakness, but it is an opportunity to rejoice in His love for us. Yes, we are responsible for ourselves because God has made us that way.

What do we get to do according to the fourth commandment? We get to live in peace and harmony. We get to have people care about us. We get to show honor, to serve and obey those whom the Lord has given to us to care for us. We get to love and cherish them.

What more wonderful way of praising and thanking our Lord for His gift of peace and good order, parents and care takers than to honor, serve, obey, love and cherish them. In so doing we will indeed be praising the name of the Lord.

Dear Lord, forgive me when I fail to be responsible for myself as well as when I fail to show my love for you by not being obedient, showing honor, serving, loving and cherishing them. Help me in being better at and doing a better job of honoring them, serving and obeying them, and loving and cherishing them. For His sake. Amen.