Bits and Pieces – 62nd Edition – May 9, 2021

     It is a good thing to set aside a day to honour our parents, but not just one day – it should be every day! Today is Mothers’ Day, and it has been celebrated in North America since 1914 under President Woodrow Wilson.

The fifth commandment reads, “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee”[Exodus 20:12]. This is the first commandment with promise – that of long life.

The first four commandments give our duty towards God.  The fifth one is the first directed towards our duty to others.  Absalom rebelled against his father David and died a young man.

Disobedience and disrespect towards our parents is a sign of the last days [2 Timothy 3:2]. How do we honour our parents?  By loving them.  They brought us into the world and cared for us, and we ought to reverence them.  Sadly today, many make light of them in word and deed, but God said, “Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother” [Deuteronomy 27:16]. When we obey our parents we follow the example of Christ [See Luke 2:51].

Why should we honour our parents? Because God commands it, and this underlines its importance.  They deserve our honour.  Bad indeed is the parent unworthy of the least honour of his or her children.  God is pleased with our respect for our parents. [Colossians 3:20]

“Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well-pleasing unto the Lord.”

The pastor and his wife were recently in the Fenelon Falls region of Ontario when they saw an interesting and rare sight – a bald eagle!  In the same tree was a crow.  They stopped to look, and later Jill was inspired to write an article for the “Let The Bible Speak” magazine, with the focus on Isaiah 40:29-31. “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength: they shall mount up with wings as eagles”  Here is a part of what she wrote:

“As Christians, we are not immune from difficulty.  I believe the crow was there for a reason – to make me think.  No matter how hard they try, crows can’t reach eagle heights, and neither can we.  Without the Lord’s strength, our trials will turn our running into weariness and our walking into fainting.

But watching the eagle soar, I noticed his flight appeared calm and controlled – almost in slow motion.  There was no frantic flapping like other birds. The great wingspan carried him up smoothly on a current of air.”

When we mount up into the Lord’s presence by His power, our difficulties become manageable, and our stresses do not overwhelm us.  We find peace and joy and rest in the midst of it all.  And the wonderful thing is, that strength is there for you.  So as you face the present trial, commit it to God, rest in His sovereign plan for your life, and wait for His grace to carry you above it.

God promised His suffering people in Egypt that He would bring them “unto a land flowing with milk and honey.”  Did you ever wonder why it was not ‘A land of grapes and wine’ or ‘a land of figs and water?’  Milk and honey represent the two lives we live, temporal and spiritual.  Milk stands for our earthly life.  It does not last long; in a few days, it sours and loses its use, just like our life on earth.  Milk does not have a long lifespan.

Honey represents our life in heaven.  Honey lasts a long time. Heaven is eternal.  Bacteria cannot dwell in honey. (Ancient honey found in Egypt has been restored by putting it into hot water).  There is no sin in heaven.  Honey is the best nourishment.  There is nothing better than heaven for a saved soul.

When Solomon was made king of Israel God said, “Ask what I shall give thee.”   Solomon answered well.  He did not ask for long life, wealth, or power, but “wisdom.”  [1 Kings 3:9]. God was well pleased with his answer just as He is well pleased when we make the same choice.

Rightly we pray for many necessary things, but do we ever actually pray for wisdom?  God tells us, “wisdom is the principal thing” [Proverbs 4:7].  Where do we get wisdom?  Solomon got it from God, so do we.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” [Proverbs 9:10].  There is a difference between ‘wisdom” and “knowledge” [See Psalm 90:12:].  How can we get wisdom?  Ask God.

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not (‘Reproach’ – for our lack of wisdom); and it shall be given him”. [James 1:5].