Becky Crenshaw

Children, obey your parents in the LORD for this is right.  “Honor your father and your mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise) that it may go well with you… Ephesians 6:1-3a

I sat at the kitchen table, eating my lunch, shoving down a salad in the ten minutes it would take the boys’ chicken tenders to finish baking in the little toaster oven.

I use it all of the time, my little oven.  Perfect for warming toast and heating nuggets.

But, disclaimer… it is hot to the touch.  Very hot.

My four-year-old came and stood at my seat.  Using his whiniest voice, he barked, “Cookie!”

“Luke, will you please ask mommy in a question instead of barking a word.”

“Can I have a cookie please?”

“That is better.  Yes, you may…but after lunch.  Your chicken is almost ready.”

Isn’t it amazing how fast a tantrum comes on a kid?  He literally melted down before my very eyes.  A puddle of tears in the kitchen floor.

“After lunch.”  I repeated.

I went about eating my salad.  Hitting mute on the ear-piercing cry of disappointment to my left.

Muting:  A trait reserved for mother’s alone.

But my muting had morphed to ignoring.  No longer was I paying attention to my little Luke, peeling himself off the floor and sneaking his way to the cookies.

The cookies I had placed atop of the toaster over.

The hot toaster oven.

Shrills no mommy could ignore pierced the silence.  Luke ran to my side, holding his hand.

His tiny hand that tried for a cookie.

Now, it sounds as if I booby-trapped the cookies.  Not so.  However, some might think this very strategic in keeping snatchy hands from untimely sweets.

Pulling Luke to my lap, “Aww buddy.  Did you burn your hand?  I am sorry that happened.”

With his hand to my lips, I muffled words reminding him, “Mommy told you ‘after lunch.’  You need to obey my words.  When you are obedient things like this are less likely to happen.”

Ahh. Obedience.  Such a safe place to stay.

Obedience…so it may go well with you. v.1,3

God’s promise.

Isn’t this true of our own life?  The safest place for us to be is in God’s will.  Walking in obedience to his Word.  Honoring His name.  Honoring the boundaries he strategically sets for us.

The world offers me cookies, too.  Good things.  Tasty opportunities and invitations.

But sometimes God says, “Not right now, Becky. Let’s wait.  You aren’t ready.  It isn’t time.”

And if I reach for it, out of turn, chances are I may burn my snatchy hand.  Or much worse.

There is a bigger picture in teaching obedience to my boys.

We teach them honor and obedience now, so they will know how to honor and obey God later.

This is the WHOLE POINT.

And it is a life-long lesson.  One I am learning, still.

Our scars are sometimes reminders of the importance of obedience.  Honoring God is the safest place to be.

He is a GOOD GOD.  One who gives GOOD GIFTS.

(One who makes the best cookies – grin)

And receiving our reward in its proper time makes the cookie so much sweeter.

Reflect and Respond:

• Is there cookie set before you today?  One you want to eat but you haven’t had lunch, yet?  Are you anxiously awaiting God’s permission?  What is it that you are waiting on and how can I pray for you?

Power Verse:

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what [is] that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2