Children Being Well and Living Long Ephesians 6:3

Paul the apostle gave instructions to the “children” who were within the church in “Ephesus”. He directed them to “obey” their “parents in the Lord” and to “honor” their “father and mother”. He told them this was the first “command with promise”, and in chapter six and verse three of his letter, Paul revealed that the promise is for children to “be well” and “live long on the earth” where we read:

That it may be well with you, and you may live long on the earth.

The verse begins, “That it may be well with you,...” Paul began with the words, “that it may be well” or “become, come into existence, begin to be, come to pass and happen to be well off, fare well, prosper and acting well” “with you” which refers to the “children” within the church in Ephesus. The first promise given to “children” was they would “prosper” and “fare well” in their lives.

The verse goes on to say, “...and you may live long on the earth.” Paul continued, “and you may” or “will, shall have and it shall come to pass to” “live long” which means “have a long time to exist” “on the earth” which refers to “the arable land, ground, and the main land as opposed to the sea or water, country, tract of land, territory and region”. The second part of the promise to “children” who “obey” and “honor” their parents is they will “have a long time to exist” on “earth”.

When we think through these words of Paul, we should be excited to know that God Almighty gave promises to “children” who “obey and honor” their parents “in the Lord”. In a day where it seems “obedience” and “honor” are foreign to many “children”, perhaps Paul's reminder will serve as initiative for “children” to heed the “command” of God, and through Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit, they shall begin to experience His “promises” of “well-being” and “long life” on the earth.

Next time Paul gives instructions to “fathers”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.