Daily Devotional for Friday May 10, 2002

Cursed for Dishonoring Your Mother and Father - Part III

(Deuteronomy 27:16)

Curses are an interesting topic, since they are the opposite of blessings. What exactly does the Bible mean when it says we will be ?cursed? for doing something. There are many different theological positions in regard to curses, so rather than try to debate them all, in the most general terms, since it is the opposite of God?s blessing. I don?t agree with those who talk about curses in a witchcraft way or those who try to explain sinful behavior as being from a curse. I totally reject the argument that ?I can?t help myself.? We all make choices, and when we choose to rebel, we can not just brush it off by saying it is a curse. The one curse we are all born with is our sin nature. Only a relationship with Jesus Christ can fix that. When the Bible says you will be cursed for disobeying God, it means you will suffer the consequences of your actions. God is not going to curse you.

One of the worst things I can think of is to try and live my life without God?s blessings. I did it for years, and it is a miserable and lonely experience. The problem is there are too many elements that are totally beyond our control. Let me tell you right now. If you think you are in control, you are simply playing mind games with yourself. We can create a world where we have much control over what happens in our life, but we can never control it all. We can never always be in control. There are just too many variables out there that we have no ability to manipulate. If we understand how vulnerable we really are, it makes our total dependence upon God even that more important. God clearly talks throughout His Word about being blessed when we are obedient. He also talks about curses for disobedience. The curse is that His hand of blessing is NOT on your life. You are literally on your own when you choose to rebel against God and His Word. There can be no greater curse than that.

I love you so much and care about you. I knew that these five special Devotions were going to be very hard for many of you to read and digest in your Spirit. You didn?t have a mom and or dad that you really could honor. Whether is was from abuse, abandonment, or a lack of love, you had a mom and/or dad who were not the parents God called them to be. That makes this concept of honoring your mother and father all the more difficult to comprehend. Now, in addition, the Bible is saying You will be cursed for not honoring a mother and/or father who really don?t deserve being honored due to their actions. Here is the bottom line. God commanded we honor our mother and father, God said we would be cursed for not doing so, so what is our choice? Rebel and miss His blessings, or be obedient and enjoy them.

You honor a mother and/or father, who may not have earned that honor in their actions, the same way you pray for your enemies, the same way you pray for those who do bad things to you. It is impossible in your own weak flesh, but in the supernatural strength God gives, you can do it. How did Jesus pray for those who hated Him? How did Jesus pray for those who nailed Him to a cross? In His manhood, it was not possible. However, using the strength God gave Him, He did pray for them, and He not only prayed for them, but forgave them. That is our example. That is why it is possible to honor your mother and father no matter what your relationship may have been in the past or is today.

I will be praying for you today. God is not only giving you this word to heed today, but also doing a work in many lives through this special series of Devotionals. It is no accident that you are reading these words, so accept it as God?s way of talking to you. Open your heart to what He is trying to say to you. Never forget, that as we obey God, we enjoy His blessings in our life. Our curse for disobedience is not having those blessings. There is too much sin, too much beyond our control to try and do it ourselves. Listen to God. Follow His Word. It really can be an abundant life if we are living under His hand of blessing.