Tuesday, October 2, 2012

October 2 Catechism Devotion

Catechism--Fourth Commandment--Honor your father and your mother.  What does this mean?  We should fear and love God so that we do not despise our parents and other authorities, but honor them, serve and obey them, love and cherish them.

Romans 13:2-- Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.

Devotion--As we go about living our lives, it is inevitable that we will encounter the authorities that God has established.  Throughout the Bible, we see that God has established these for the good of society and for the general welfare of us all.  Granted, not all authorities follow this God-given direction, and in such cases, we offer our prayers for changed hearts.

As people who have been forgiven by Christ Jesus, and who have been given new life through the waters of baptism, we have the opportunity to teach and instruct others about the honoring of authorities.  We can show them that it is God's will and design that we have authorities over us in life, and that we respond to them with honor, that we serve and obey then as is necessary, and that we even grow to love and cherish them.

We have the opportunity to teach others about this.  In some ways, that may mean that we each need to reflect upon our own thoughts toward those in positions of authority.  Do we have attitudes and thoughts that need to be adjusted and brought in line with God's will?  And then, how can we go about teaching others those same things as we have opportunity?  How can you show them that the authorities in their life are indeed a gift from God, and are there according to God's will and design?

I pray that you will not only take up the opportunity to reflect on your view of authorities in your life, but that you also look for opportunities to teach others about what God says pertaining to authorities.

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