Colossians 3:20 - "Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord."

Thoughts on today's verse:

Perhaps you heard this in your house growing up, or you find yourself repeating it to your children. There are some important truths nestled in this short verse.

The first truth addresses the source: to children, they have a special command from the Lord Himself. The illustration falls short in many ways, but this is sort of like the pastor making an application to children in the middle of his sermon. I know that when the pastor would do that when I was a child, I perked up a bit because now I felt like he was talking to me! Well, this is what is happening here in this verse - the Lord is taking a moment to address the children specifically.

The second truth is the command, which is simple. There are no multiple steps or questions about method - just obey your parents. God doesn't say that there is a time to obey and a time not to obey, just obey in everything.

The third truth addresses the motivation. For children it is simply that this pleases the Lord, there is nothing else, and there doesn't need to be!

For those of us who are not children we learn that God has established authorities, and you just might be one of those authorities.

We also see that for the myriad commands that are addressed to Christians in general and other groups specifically, obedience to those commands results in the Lord being pleased. We must not forget that what God has instructed us to do is not so that we would groan under a checklist of do's and don't's, but because he knows what is best for us and when we do it, He is delighted! Let's purpose in our hearts to please the Lord by doing what He has commanded!