The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in Ephesians 6:1-3,
"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.'"
Paul tells his younger readers to obey their parents. He refers to the law when doing so to point to a promise God had made. "Honor your father and mother that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." This, the fifth of the ten commandments, Deuteronomy 5:16, is translated this way, "Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you." In this section of his letter, Paul, speaking of certain relationships that should be marked by both submission and a reciprocating responsibility, are further aspects of living our lives in a manner worthy of the calling we have received. Ephesians 4:1.
What captures my thoughts this morning is that God has made promises to us. Here, children are told if they obey their parents, they are given a promise. Evidently, if they don't obey their parents something else may be in store for them. This is not the only promise God has made. God promised he would send a Savior, Acts 13:23. He promised us the Holy Spirit, John 14:15-17. God promised a gospel message would be coming, Romans 1:2. God made promises to Abraham that would come to us, Romans 4:13-25. In Titus 1:2 we read of God's promise of eternal life.
Just how good are these promises? They are from God himself! In 2 Corinthians 1:20-22 we read, "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ. And so through him the 'Amen' is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come."
God wants us fully assured of certain things he has planned for us. He has made promises to us. For those who have rejected the gospel message there is the promise of a fiery lake of burning sulfur. For those of us who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith, all of the promises made to the patriarchs are ours! Many of these promises have already been fulfilled and those promises whose times have not yet come are as good as if they have already been completed!
Did God have to promise us anything? Not at all! But such is the heart of our God who has lifted a burden from our hearts and encouraged us greatly in the promises he has given us!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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