The Fourth Commandment
Honor your father and your mother.
What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not despise or anger our parents and other authorities, but honor them, serve and obey them, love and cherish them.
Today’s Bible Verse: Hebrews 13:17
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
For the next eight days of this devotional, we will reflect upon the Ten Commandments. If you do not have a physical copy of the updated Small Catechism, you can purchase one at Amazon by clicking here. If you wish to download a copy onto a Kindle or iPad, you can click here for the Kindle edition and click here for the Apple Books version.
Election season in the United States will no doubt bring a lot of frustration for voters. From today until Election Day in November, we will hear endless attacks and smearing of people’s characters. Sadly, that is what our election process has become. There is one thing we Christians need to remember when we consider the Fourth Commandment: It is not just about mom and dad. The commandment directs us to respect and honor those who hold authority over us. Even if you disagree with the policies being directed by our government officials, we need to show respect to them. It is not easy since we will be tempted to sin in words and actions when it comes to our politicians but we need to try and hold firm to this commandment to show respect.
PRAYERS
Keep in Your Prayers:
Remember, the people in our region are dealing with the effects of heavy rain.
Those who reject Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Prayer for Thursday:
Heavenly Father, today I remember those people who have been elected or appointed in our local government. Uphold them in their service. By Your Spirit, guide them into doing good for the people they have been entrusted to protect and keep. In the name of Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, do I pray. Amen.
Luther’s Morning Prayer:
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.. Amen.
Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Photo licensed through Unsplash+
On My Playlist
I had this one on repeat Wednesday.