Family Devotional: 10/13/24-10/19/24
The New City Catechism
Question #10
Q. What does God require in the fourth and fifth commandments?
A. Fourth, that on the Sabbath day we spend time in worship of God.
Fifth, that we love and honor our father and our mother.
(To encourage memorization through song: https://youtu.be/8ChkXiHlUw4?si=WSe-CvCbqW6HPKoh)
BIG Idea
“God has ordained a pattern of life and relationships that are consistent with who he is and his created order.”
Knowing God helps us to understand these commandments. Because He is kind and gracious, He has provided a day - 1 out of 7 - that we might have intentional rest. This rest, particularly, is found by enjoying God in worship on Sunday (we call this the Lord’s Day because Jesus rose from the dead on the first day!). Worshipping God on the Sabbath reveals His care for His people, providing them the privilege to partake in the best event of the week: worshipping Him. Further, because God is our Heavenly Father, relating to Him as children adopted into His household, we are thus moved to honor our earthly parents. Seeing God in this way encourages us to obey and submit to those who are over us as we submit and honor Him. May God grant us grace to these ends!
Weekly Bible Passage and Monthly Memory Verse
Passage: Exodus 20:1-17
Monthly Memory Verse: “It is the LORD your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear. You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are around you.” (Deuteronomy 6:13-14)
Prayer (ACTS Method)
These are ways to pray in light of the truth learned this week. Of course, pray for other things as a family!
· Adoration: Praise God for being our Heavenly Father, who provides us rest and is deserving of honor.
· Confession: Confess when we neglect the Sabbath Day and when we disobey and dishonor our parents.
· Thanksgiving: Thank God that He forgives us and calls us back to enjoy Him. Thank Him for parents and for privilege of worshiping Him.
· Supplication: Ask God for grace to grow in honoring our parents and, for parents, to grow in grace in raising their little ones.