Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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 FAMILY IN RELATIONSHIP WITH PARENT-CHILDREN TIES

Ephesians 6:1-9
v3 “so that it may be well with you and you may live long in the land on the earth”

As a Household Code, the fifth chapter of Ephesians addresses the responsibilities of husbands and wives. Apostle Paul completes the family picture when he shares about the relationship between parents and children in the sixth chapter. Our passage for today's meditation shares this insight of how existence and growth of family adds to the commitment and warmth in relationships.

Family - A School of Obedience: ‘Obey your parents in the Lord’ in verse 1 is God's commandment to his children which includes an inward reverence as well as the outward expression to act. Obey in the Lord. Matthew Henry states "Your parents teach you good manners, and therein you must obey them. They teach you what is for your health, and in this you must obey them: but the chief things in which you are to do it are the things pertaining to the Lord". While we find the root verse of this command in the Ten Commandments, the latter half of the second verse in Ephesians chapter 6 attaches a particular significance to this commandment, the promise of a prosperous life. Prosperity and long life are blessings promised to those who keep this commandment of obedience. Obeying our parents is also a response to our relationship with Almighty God. As children learn obedience first at home, family is a school of obedience. While children must obey and honour their parents, parents must do everything in their power to make this obedience a joy and not a burden.

Family - The Space for Relationships:It is in a family that relationships are strengthened. Family is the space where one learns of their responsibilities, recognizes their virtues, embraces their limitations, respects each other traits and develops fellowship and alliance with one other. It is the space where one's growth takes place. In the above passage, Paul asks the children and parents to embrace their relationships in family as they God. This is well stated by how God expects a slave and master to treat each other as we see in verses 5-9. Families should become the field where open conversations take place. Relationships blossom when children are entrusted with more responsibilities and they feel more confident about themselves.

‘Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so’ is a famous song penned by Anna Warner that affirms our relationship with God – The emphasis that we are loved. A plaque that was gifted to me had the words “Jesus knows me, this I love” written on it. Indeed, a different perspective on our relationship with Jesus – We are known! Similarly, in our family, we love our parents as we are confident that ‘we are known’ by them. Our parents and grandparents, the elderly generation have seen and done most of what we experience in our lives today. They are treasures and guides for us on how to live a blessed life even in the midst of all chaos and confusions. As a child of God and children of the elderly in the society, let us embrace and appreciate them for all that they do for us.

PRAYER
Dear Lord, make our families a place of obedience and a space where our relationships blossom, and thus, let us acknowledge the value of relationships in our life, especially with the elderly. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
A home without elders is like a house without a blessing!

Mervin Joe Mathew, St. Andrews MTC, Kalyan East
Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church

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