OUR CHILDREN

 

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth," EPH 6:1-3.

In the LAW OF GOD, we find that the third commandment has a curse pronounced upon its violation. "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain," EXO 20:7.

The fifth commandment however is the first commandment with promise. "Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee," EXO 20:12.

The Lord tells us in PRO 22:6, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." This places a very heavy responsibility upon the fathers and mothers to train their children to honour them.

To train is much more than to teach. Example and practice are the most effective ways to train a child. The family that prays together, stays together. A child that is trained to pray by example and daily practice will become a praying adult.

Children do not automatically honour their fathers and mothers, this honour must be earned. God tells us in TIT 2:1-6, that mothers are to be reverent in their behavior, they are not to use slander or strong drink, they should be teachers of what is good, that they may wisely train their daughters to be loving wives and mothers.

The fathers are admonished also to be sober, sensible, sound in faith, in love and patience, urging their sons to be prudent, setting an all-round example of integrity and sincerity.

Our text was placed in a blessed order. Firstly, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise."

Secondly, the promise is recited, "That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth." Thirdly, the fathers are admonished, "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord," EPH 6:1-4.

When we see how far short we come of our responsibility in bringing up our children it must make us cry for help from our Heavenly Father. Amen.

 

Father, hear a father's pleading,
Hear a mother's earnest cry:
For our children we are pleading,
Gracious Lord, don't let them die.
We seek neither wealth nor honor
For them in this world of strife;
But through Jesus Christ our Saviour,
Give them, Lord, eternal life.

Lord, we tremble for our children,
For we know their woeful case:
Their's are hearts full of corruption,
Part of Adam's fallen race.
We are helpless, Lord, to save them,
We cannot their hearts renew:
If thou wilt, Lord, Thou canst save them;
Nothing is to hard for Thee.

Lord, we would not be demanding,
Or presume upon thy grace,
But our hearts for them are bleeding,
Our dear children need thy grace.
We commit them to thy mercy,
And we leave them in thy care:
If it can be for Thy glory,
God, we pray, our children spare!

(These words can be sung with the tune of, "Brethren, We Have Met To Worship.")