Devotion 1: A Family Built On The Word

Marc-E Delcamp 

As a kid, I remember (on more than one occasion) my parents asking me to do something before they left for the store. They'd always say, "Have it done by the time we get home." And every time, I'd think to myself, "Cool, I've got like two hours to do this two-minute job."Well, sure enough, those two hours would fly by and without fail, I'd hear the tires crunching up the driveway. At that moment, I had two options: either scramble to get it done as fast as I could, or accept my fate and take the discipline that was inevitably coming. 

This leads us right into our verses for the week: "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’ (this is the first commandment with a promise), ‘that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.’ Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord" Ephesians 6:1-3. 

If I had obeyed Scripture as a kid, I would have saved myself and my parents a lot of frustration. But like all kids, I was not perfect, not even close. It's important to notice the phrasing Paul uses here, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord." Paul isn't just talking to kids, he's talking to parents, too. He instructs children to obey, but he also implies a responsibility for parents to raise their children in the Lord. 

This ties directly into the next part, "Honor your father and mother." Kids, the greatest way to honor your parents is to obey them. Parents, the greatest way to be honorable is to raise your children in the Lord. So, how do we start doing this? 

Parents: Take 10 minutes every day this week to sit down and memorize a verse from the Bible with your children. A great place to start is John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." 

Kids: Be excited to memorize scripture with your parents or even get ahead of the game and memorize scripture on your own. Small steps like this will build habits that shape the spiritual foundation of your family. Let's build together!