It's not about them, it's about you!

Happy Sunday!

"We expect people to give us what they don't have." - Dr. Hart Ramsey

Ephesians 6:1-3 says, "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."(KJV).

Dr. Hart Ramsey brought a powerful message today at All Nations Worship Assembly in Chicago.  He referenced a message he preached last Sunday on Honor, and the responses he received from that message.  The responses came from listeners who did not know their fathers or had been wounded by the actions of their fathers or mothers. These individuals like many of us, struggled to honor a parent that was not present, or not willing or able to give us what we needed.  Dr. Ramsey reminded us that these commandments do not include adjectives.  The scripture does not say, "Honor your good father and your sweet mother" or "honor your supportive, loving father or encouraging mother".  God just says honor them so that things will go well for you, and you will have a long life.  Don't miss this!  It's not really about them, it's about us and our children after us.

Do you realize that their are no perfect fathers in the Bible?  Do you need time to think back to Sunday School lessons?  Take as much time as you need.  Jacob played favorites, and gave Joseph a coat of many colors.(Genesis 37:3).  Lot was willing to give his virgin daughters to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah that wanted to rape the two visitors(angels) that came to rescue he and his family.(Genesis 19:8).  Jephthah made a vow to the Lord, that the first person to meet him when he returned safely from battle would become a sacrifice.  Sadly, his only daughter was the first one to come out of the house to meet him.(Judges 11:30-31).  God is the only perfect father, and the perfect parent.  He is the example that we all should follow.

It's important that we allow the Holy Spirit to help us process what we have experienced.  God knows what we really need to be all that we can be.  He can use everything that our parents were, are, and are not to benefit us in this life.  When we honor our parents, we honor the choice that God made in order to get a special gift into the world...you are that gift. 

Love and prayers, Cynthia