Daily Devotion: The Rewards of Obedience

Scripture:
Ephesians 6: 1-9

Main Verses:
Ephesians 6: 1-3
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother"—which is the first commandment with a promise—"so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."

Observation:
Paul teaches us how important it is for children to obey their parents, and tells us about the rewards of obedience. Although the verses are more directed towards children obeying their parents, we can also look into the verses as a lesson in obedience to our Father in Heaven.

Why is obedience taught to us? The answer is plain and simple: It is the right thing to do. We are to obey people who have authority over us--our parents, our leaders in church, and our bosses at work--because it is the right thing to do (v. 1). There is no other valid explanation about its importance.

What would we gain when we obey our parents? Verse 3 tells us two promises: first is the promise of a better quality of life, and second is long life.  Who wouldn't want these things?

Application:
Why did Paul give priority to obedience in this verse? He could have emphasized integrity, loyalty, goodness, kindness, etc., but why obedience? I believe that obedience, first and foremost, is an important foundation of our faith. If parents teach children about obedience, then it would become automatic for children to also obey the Lord. As children, we are instructed to follow what our parents tell us. There are instances wherein a parent may be abusive, but parents who love the Lord will always think about what is best for their children. Let us follow this command about obedience so we may reap the rewards of a good and long life.

Prayer:
Father, I know that obedience is key to further developing my faith in You. Thank you that we have Jesus Christ as a great example of what obedience means. His desire to follow you has led to His Ultimate Sacrifice. His death on the cross has resulted to my salvation. May I always have that desire to follow you. May I always be able to practice obedience in everything that I do. AMEN.