February 21...

Leviticus 7:28-36, I Samuel 1-2

What affects whether or not a child grows up and serves the LORD? Is it the parent’s relationship with God? Is it the home environment? Is it the relationship between a parent and a child? Is it the relationship between another significant adult and a child?

Today we read about two sets of parents who were godly people … Elkanah and Hannah and Eli. In these first two chapters, we don’t really know how Samuel turned out, but we know that Eli’s sons (who were priests) are called “wicked men”.

Hannah placed God first and gave Him her firstborn son, Samuel, because he heard her cries of desperation.

Eli, according to God, honored his sons more than he honored God. Eli knew the rules, but he didn’t insist that his sons follow the rules … and the consequences were great.

It is strange that we find ourselves discussing parenting and being parented today – but this is serious stuff. Check out these scriptures:

Ephesians 6:1-4 “Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’ – which is the first commandment with a promise – that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth. Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”

2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Deuteronomy 21:18-21 “Suppose a man has a stubborn, rebellious son who will not obey his father or mother, even though they discipline him. In such cases, the father and mother must take the son before the leaders of the town. They must declare: ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious and refuses to obey. He is a worthless drunkard.’ Then all the men of the town must stone him to death. In this way, you will cleanse this evil from among you, and all Israel will hear about it and be afraid.”

Parents – think about it:
Do you honor your kids more than you honor God?
Do you use God’s word to teach, rebuke, correct, and train your child in righteousness to equip him/her for every good work with God’s Word?
Fathers, do you exasperate your children?
Are you bringing your children up in the training and instruction of the Lord?
Do your kids see your relationship with God?
If the consequences for rebellion were the same as that described in Deuteronomy 21, would your parenting change?


Teens – think about it:
Do you honor your father and mother?
Do you obey your parents?
Do you listen when they try to teach, rebuke, correct, and train you in righteousness with God’s Word?
If the consequences for rebellion were the same as that described in Deuteronomy 21, would your obedience change?