"Do I Have To?"

A living miracle: our daughter, Tara
June 18, 2011

Many of you have been inquiring about how our daughter, Tara, is doing now after being intubated and in a coma for 2 weeks in ICU. So, here’s a letter she’s personally written to each of you!

Dear SVCC Family,

Praise God!  It’s been almost a month since I was released from the rehabilitation center and almost two months since I was admitted into ICU at UNMH.  What a relief to be back to normal and sharing God’s miracles with so many of you (and many others) from all over the world!

Thank you so much for your constant prayers, unending faith and support in so many ways.  God is so powerful and faithful that, at times, it can seem so unreal!  However, I have managed to beat the odds during this whole ordeal, but only with God’s grace.

Isn’t God good?  God has provided for my family when we thought even getting groceries would be a struggle.  He also provided when we didn’t know if we could pay rent or even continue to have a home.  In this hard time, God healed me in more ways than just physically.

After being so anxious to leave the rehabilitation center and many days of talking myself out of escaping, I was finally discharged.  This time was really difficult!  When relearning how to walk, shower and even holding a fork was difficult, the support of our church and church family helped us through it.  They were so faithful with prayers, food and visits.  I couldn’t wait to get out and share the truth of God’s love and power!

Sunday came quickly and God began to move.  We had been studying the book of Luke and the parables, in depth. This particular Sunday was on the parable of the children coming to God in the church.  We dove deep into what was really happening in this scripture, but God had already begun talking to me since I woke up from the coma.

God had brought to light the real meaning of faith for me.  True faith.  In this scripture we discussed how God was asking us to be like children and see Him thru the eyes of a child.  I had shared with our community group that God had revealed Himself to me as a father…The Father.

I explained to them that for me to get through this experience, and even just life, I would have to really believe that God was my Father.  I trusted my dad with my life.  I trusted him to give me guidance, provide for me and protect me, even as an adult.  Then why wouldn’t I do that with my heavenly Father!

I want to encourage you to look at God as your true Father and through the eyes of a child.  Be His children.  Trust in Him to take care of you like you were His child….because you are!

God’s power is so real!  Please continue to pray for us.  I am healing daily and we are trusting God to provide.  Please pray for the patients in hospitals everywhere who do not have support, hope, or God in their lives.  It can be a very grim sight.

Remember that God does not just heal the physical and emotional, but He is capable of healing Faith too!

***************************

Thank you for praying for us and for our daughter. Your prayers have contributed to her miracle healing! Enjoy the study & questions and may they spur you on to good works! 

---Ruben & Gayla

Read: Ephesians 6:1-3

Recite: “... that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” (v. 3)

Relax: Did you obey your parents when you were young? If you did, why?

Research:

     (v. 1) Continuing the theme of Christian submission, Paul turned next to children. He assumed that children would be in the congregation of believers as this letter was read. By even addressing them–a segment of society that was considered to be virtually without rights –Paul elevated them and invested them with dignity and worth unheard of in the Roman world at the time. His command to them is simple: Obey your parents! This is not an absolute command; when a parent tells a child to do something unbiblical, immoral, or unethical, the law of God supersedes the will of the parent. But, aside from those extremes, children are to unquestionably obey their mothers and fathers. This is the way God intends it. It’s easy to see the immediate practical benefits of this for both children and parents because parents usually do know best.

     The Greek word for “children” (tekna) refers to young children living at home (see also Colossians 3:20, where the same word is used). The word “obey” conveys a stronger demand than the submission required of wives (Ephesians 5: 22). God requires children to obey because children need to rely on the wisdom of their parents. Jesus himself submitted to the authority of his earthly parents, despite his authority as the Messiah (Luke 2:51). All young children will, at times, disobey and test their parents’ limits. As they get older, they will understand why God wants them to obey. Obedience that recognizes parents’ authority can carry over into recognizing God’s authority. God’s plan for his people includes solid family relationships where respect, obedience, submission, and love for one another exists. When both the parents and the children love God, all of them will seek to obey and please him.

     (v. 2-3) Paul added the authority of the revealed law to the natural law described in 6:1, quoting the fifth commandment, recorded in Exodus 20:12, “Honor your father and mother.” Obeying and honoring are different. To obey means to do what another says to do; to honor means to respect and love. Children are to obey while under their parents’ care, but they must honor their parents for life. This command ends with a promise of a long life, full of blessing. How is this viewed the first commandment with a promise?  It is neither the first commandment, nor the first one with a promise, since the second commandment carries a promise with it. Commentators offer many explanations. Two are most helpful: (1) This is the first commandment (after the first four, which are general commandments) that deals with social involvements and codes for behavior. (2) More likely, this is the first or primary commandment for children to follow, but it holds a promise applicable to them. As children obey the command to honor their parents, they show an attitude of love and respect that they carry over into their relationship with God. Such an attitude provides a community that helps provide for and protect the aged. On the individual level, as each person cares for older people, the elderly live longer, and the younger people help pass the values down to the next generation.

Reflect:

• What is a child’s first responsibility to his or her parents? What reasons does Ephesians 6:1 give?
• What is the difference between honoring and obeying?
• Honoring means ____________________________________________
• Obeying means _____________________________________________
• In Ephesians 6:2-3 what promise does God give to children, young or old, who honor and obey their parents?
• How have you taught your children to obey you? Is it effective? What counsel would you give to brand new parents?
• How are you at obeying and honoring your parents? What needs to change?

Request:  Would you take a moment and ask God to help you to do a better job in instructing your children. For those of you whose children are grown, ask God to reveal to you how you can be a better resource for them as they raise their own children. For those of you whose parents are still living, ask God to help you honor them in their latter years.