Phase IV

Ex. 20:¹² (VOICE) “You are to honour your father and mother. If you do, you and your children will live long and well in the land the Eternal your God has promised to give you.” [with emphasis]

You are going to be great, far greater than your father and your father’s father, in Jesus Name [say Amen]. What that means is the level of thought that will deliver that greatness will be outside the scope of your father.

So more often than not, your father will not understand your level of thought. But a wise father would allow you to do what God is stirring you up to do and trust God’s hand on your life.

However, sometimes your father may want to confine you not because he is wicked, but because he is ignorant. You owe it to yourself and to your children yet unborn to arise, go ahead, and fulfill your destiny. That same father will call you years later to tell you how proud of you he is. But guess what? That will never happen with you sitting under his table asking for bread. You have to realize that when you become an adult, your decisions are your decisions and you will be held accountable for them.

Honouring your father and your mother in the later years of their life would mean giving weight to their needs. John 19:²⁶ “When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” ²⁷ And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home.” Jesus was on the cross, the most important moment of His life and He still gave attention to the needs of His mother. Even Jesus still took care of the future needs of His mother and this is instructive for us. We have to make it a point of duty to follow this example.

Why should your parents pay another medical bill in their lives when you are alive? When you begin to prioritize and give weight to their needs, your ways will prosper. Many of us are parents already and many more will soon become parents; God is equipping you with the right foundation for parenting and for being an honourable parent. In addition to all that we have been learning about the fifth commandment, one of the ways to becoming a parent worthy of respect, is to see yourself as God sees you. You are God’s representative.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, please empower me to honour and attend to the needs of my parents according to God’s heart and let Your Name be glorified, in Jesus Name. Amen!