“And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4 AKJV
Provoke our children to wrath… what does that mean Father?
Does it mean driving our kids to anger, frustration, rebellion by the way we treat them…in our speech, in our renderings?
Do we criticize, are we accusative, quick to point out a flaw, impatient in listening, rendering judgment without regard for their thoughts, not exercising understanding of their positions given the things they are being exposed to, dominating, talking down, then leaving them to themselves?
Are these things we really do and do we do so knowingly? (why else the admonition to us?)
Do we do so because we find it satisfying to be in a position of power, to dominate…or is it because we don’t know how to be, what to do, have not been willing to look for and follow a better example?
It is our concern Father, and we pray to know the answer.
Does bringing our children up in the nurture and admonition that You are the source of change everything?
Isn’t Your admonition to us counsel, warning, serious, yet given kindly, even gently? Isn’t it for our good and don’t You exhort us to realize that? In the doing aren’t You expressing Your love for us and care for our well being?
Do we have cause to feel talked down to then ignored or do we not walk nurtured… counseled by Your Word…nurtured by it, wrapped in Your nurturing attentiveness?
Do we not sense the good of it and does it not bring us to love and honor You?
Father may it be the desire of our hearts that our children love and honor us.
Lead us to raise them in the ways You are raising us and as we apply those ways may we do so as You do Father, to correct, to warn, to build up…so that they will be good, and do so as You do Father, making it so clear that our desire for their good and well being and long life… and our hand on them… is because we love and care for them.
Give us wisdom Oh God…
We love and honor You… Father God… in Yeshua’s name…
Amen.
May God’s…our Father’s love be in us all.
Elder
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