Tag: trusting God

Honor Your Parents

~ Sowmya Gali

Exodus 20: 12

Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you.

This is the only commandment that comes with a promise. We didn’t just show up on this planet at this particular time. God chose a man and a woman to bring us forth. We are here because of our parents. We had no choice of who our parents were going to be as the All-Knowing God made that choice for us. Many are blessed with loving parents while many have no parents or have/had tough ones.

When we were babies and toddlers, our world was our parents. The delight of seeing them, being held close, smelling them and just being in their presence brought us immense joy and comfort. From about four till ten years, our parents were our super heroes. They were our joy-givers, toy-fixers, hurt-pacifiers, tear-wipers, and magic-performers. As we inched into our teen years, we began contending with them over trivial things. We began to think they are not smart enough for our generation and that we knew more than them. Come late teens and young adults, we concluded that we don’t need our parents any more. Definitely, we didn’t want them to make decisions for us, albeit we wanted their approval for all our choices and decisions.

As we became adults and started raising our own families, we begin to compare ourselves to our parents. We are who we are today because of our parents. Whether positive or negative, we have been shaped predominantly by our parents. When we have to make a decision, we wonder if our parents would agree. When we accomplish something, we wonder if our parents would be proud of us. Anything we do or think, our initial thoughts run towards our parents. It matters to us immensely that our parents are proud of us, approve of our decisions, and applaud and brag about our accomplishments. We place them on a pedestal that is highly esteemed. When it matters so much about what our parents think of us, why then don’t we give them the respect they deserve? We are eager for our boss’s approval, search for a teacher’s nod and appreciation of several others under whose authority we live our lives. We honor and respect them. However, when it comes to our parents, it must matter even more.

In the process, we fail to realize that our parents are also humans and are prone to making mistakes. Since we used to esteem them highly, we assume that they cannot make a mistake. One mistake or one unkind word shatters our faith in them. We say we forgive them for all the hurt they caused us but fail to forget. We dwell on those bitter moments far too long, share with anyone who is willing to listen and sympathize with us and prolong the misery. In doing so, we slowly erode the love, respect and honor we have for our parents with our own bitterness. Even when they are kind to us, and trying to help us, we tend to shun them. On the contrary, we assume they carry an agenda every time they speak lovingly to us.

The Bible clearly commands us to honor our parents so we may be blessed and live a long life. Are we honoring and respecting our parents superficially or with all our hearts? Is it so difficult to not only forgive but also forget every hurtful thing they might have inflicted on us? More often we are willing to forgive and forget others’ mistakes but not those who are closest to us, especially of our parents. We carry that burden for several years, allowing that hurt to gnaw on us, both mentally and spiritually. We go through life doing all the right things, being busy with God’s work, ministering and living godly lives. We seem to be running on a treadmill not prospering neither spiritually nor socially.

What we fail to recognize is there might be a particular sin in our lives that still lingers! We have failed to forgive and forget the mistakes our parents have committed towards us. Thereby, we have failed to honor them with the love and respect that they deserve. If we fail to love and honor our parents, we will certainly fail to love and honor God. The Bible warns us that we will be cursed if we fail to honor our parents. (Cursed is he who dishonors his father or mother. Deuteronomy 27: 16) Jesus warned His followers in Matthew 15: 4 – “For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother is to be put to death.’

Our parents sacrificed much to bring us up, kept us in comfort, provided food, clothing and shelter, best education that they could afford, taught us spiritual and moral values and much more. Our Heavenly Father sacrificed His only Son Jesus Christ on the cross, so we could eternally be with Him in His glory, and under His protection. We would be free from sin and shame, and enjoy every blessing that comes with obedience in this life and the next. What more parallelism do we need to understand this very important commandment!

If in life we are not progressing, discontented with life, wondering where we are heading, disgruntled over little issues, and not really enjoying God’s goodness and blessings, then we must consider this sin that may persist in our lives. We must seek God’s forgiveness as well as our parents’ if they are still living before it is too late. We must seek God’s help to forget as well. We must teach ourselves to love and honor our parents. Consider this: What if God gave us parents to test our devotion towards Him? If we could love and honor them with all our hearts who are physically in front of us, then we will love and honor an omnipresent God as well. Failing to do so, we have broken the greatest commandment of all.

Dearly beloved, let us seek the Holy Spirit’s help to give us the changed heart and strength to forgive and forget our parents’ mistakes. Let us learn to love and honor them with all our hearts for it is pleasing to God. Despite their failures, we must persist in loving and honoring them all the days of their lives. In doing so, we will be blessed. In doing so, our days will be prolonged. In doing so, we are setting a good example to the next generations. And in doing so, we are honoring God.

King Josiah – Discovery

~ Sowmya Gali

2 Kings 22: 2

He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in all the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.

King Josiah was eight years old when he became king over Israel. His great grandfather was Hezekiah, who followed God and whose life was miraculously extended by fifteen years. His grandfather Manasseh, on the other hand was a devious king. He set up altars for Baal in the temple in Jerusalem. He shed innocent blood so much that it filled Jerusalem from end to end. Surprisingly, for reasons unknown, God allowed him to rule for fifty-five years. Manasseh was followed by Amon, his son, who was twenty-two years old when he became king. He too followed his father in committing grievous sins and forsook the Lord. After ruling the land for just two years, he was assassinated by his own officials, in his own palace. His murder was, however, avenged by the people of the land and eight-year-old Josiah was appointed king of the land.

We don’t know what kind of upbringing Josiah had. Even though he was preceded by evil kings, he chose to do right in the sight of the Lord. In every aspect, he followed his ancestor, David. He must have heard stories about King David. All those brave and righteous deeds of David must have inspired him to follow in his footsteps. Despite who his parents and grandparents were, Josiah chose to do what was right and adhered strongly to those values. He didn’t let the current culture of the land dictate his life. He, as a king, recognized the authority he had in influencing the people of the land. He might have witnessed the apostasy of his grandfather Manasseh and father Amon, which might have been repulsive to him. All the sins of his previous generations were so abhorrent, he just didn’t let that influence him. Such was his conviction.

In the eighteenth year of his reign, when he was twenty-six years old, he summoned his officials and charged them to repair the temple of the Lord. While the refurbishments and repairs were going on, Hilkiah, the high priest found the Book of the Law. He handed the Book to the chief official, Shaphan, who took it to King Josiah right away. In the presence of the king, Shaphan read from the Book. When King Josiah heard the words, he tore his robes. He realized God’s anger towards his fathers because of their disobedience. He realized that so many of them have not followed God’s commandments and how grievously they have sinned against the Lord. He asked his officials to inquire of the Lord.

King Josiah, who was never exposed to the Word of God all his life, instead exposed to terrible sin and apostasy, chose now to follow God wholeheartedly. His immediate reaction when he learned from the Book of the Law reveals his heart condition. He cleansed the temple and every high place in the country. He removed the idols and burnt them in the Kidron valley. He appointed Levites to resume their duties as priests in the temple. Despite leading a righteous life thus far, he felt shameful and abhorrent before the Lord for the sins of his forefathers that they caused the nation to commit.

How do we react to sin and apostasy going on around us? Are we being complacent and compromising? Or are we being guilty and shameful before the Lord, even though we did not commit those sins? Are we becoming tolerant of the apostasy that is prevalent in our culture? Are we turning a blind eye to the apostasy in our midst thinking it is not going to affect us? Or are we crying before the Lord for the sins of our nation? Are we rending our hearts before the Lord for our complacency? Where do we stand? On the side of the Lord or the side of the sin? We can neither be sailing in two boats nor standing on the fence. Let us chose this day, whose side we are on.

In exhortation:

Deuteronomy 4: 39

Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other. Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the Lord your God gives you for all time.