24 Aug September 13 Daily Devotional

A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON PAUL’S LETTER TO THE COLOSSIANS

INSTRUCTIONS FOR CHRISTIANS – CHILDREN  

Colossians 3:20 “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.”

Today’s devotional verse is addressed to children.  The Holy Spirit’s inspired words addressed to them exhorts them to “obey” their parents.  In today’s culture, this too, as the previous two devotions pointed out regarding the instructions to wives and husbands, is frequently not well received.  Today’s emphasis upon freedom, self-image and a host of other self-centered ideas driven by the Old Adam, creates relational issues between parents and their children.

It is good first to look at God’s direction to parents in regard to raising children.  He says that parents are to teach and instruct their children regarding the right path to follow in their lives. (Proverbs 22:6)  In the New Testament fathers are instructed to “bring (their children) up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4) Children need to learn from God’s word that parenting is a God given, God directed responsibility.

The key words of the fourth commandment are for Children to “respect” and “obey their parents.”  For a child to disrespect and disobey their parents is actually a sin of disrespect and disobedience of God who gave them their parents.  Luther wrote, “children are to “honor” their father and mother.” (Small Catechism)  In the Large Catechism He wrote, “God does not simply command us to love our parents, but to honor them because by doing so “we demonstrate that we value them very highly, and that, next to God, we regard them as the very highest.”

For parents to fail to heed God’s instruction as to how He desires them to raise their children is also a sin against the fourth commandment. God has entrusted children to them and has given His expectations of parents and children through the Holy Scriptures.  Children are a very special gift from Him to their parents and parents to their children. “Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.” (Psalm 127:4-5)

Prayer:  Father, bless parents and children that they live together in accord with Your will for Jesus’ sake.  Amen.

Our Father, by whose name All fatherhood is known,

Who dost in love proclaim Each family Thine own,

Bless Thou all parents, guarding well, With constant love as sentinel,

The homes in which Thy people dwell.

O Christ, Thyself a child Within an earthly home,

With heart still undefiled, Thou didst to manhood come;

Our children bless in ev’ry place That they may all behold Thy face,

And knowing Thee may grow in grace.

O Spirit, who dost bind Our hearts in unity,

Who teachest us to find The love from self set free,

In all our hearts such love increase That ev’ry home by this release

May be the dwelling place of peace.

(LSB 863)