Monday, January 22, 2007

Not Peace, but a Sword...

At church last night we finished our mini-series on relating rightly to parents by looking at how the gospel calls us to prioritise Jesus as king, above and beyond everything else. Jesus' words in Matt 10 (e.g. v.34-42) are straight to the point, they're blunt, they're sharp, and they pierce right at the heart of what matters to us.

It was a wake-up call again to the real blessing it is to grow up in a Christian home, with parents who know and love the Lord Jesus. It is often the case that kids from Christian homes come to resent their upbringing, but actually that is completely the wrong attitude. To be able to go home and be encouraged, to be able to read the Bible, to meet with friends around the word in the family home, to recieve no condemnation when you go to church... what a joy it is!

God calls us to honour parents - it's the first commandment with a promise attached (Ex 20.12) - and I know I'm very guilty of not practicing that command. Wonderful to hear God's teaching on an issue that too often is side-lined for more 'hip' talks on sex, money, and all the rest of it. God sovereignly chose them to bring us into the world.

Thank you Mum & Dad!

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