Obedience

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” ^{Ephesians 6:1-3}

For the last few weeks our character study has been about obedience.  We have realized
that we really didn't understand the depth of the importance of teaching our children to obey.
Having our children's heart and obedience is very closely linked and it is extremely important for their future walk with their creator.  Through us they are learning about having a loving relationship with someone who has authority over them, much like our adult relationship with our Heavenly Father.  It seems like an overwhelming and impossible request but we are to teach our children obedience now so that they can be obedient to God as adults.  Part of obedience is not questioning what is asked of us and instead figuring out how to accomplish this seemingly impossible task.  As parents, God commands that we teach our children obedience to further His kingdom.  Honestly a bunch of unruly children or adults are not going to be able to make much of an impact for Him.
In these weeks we have learned and taught our children that when we obey we don't question a NO (instead we pray that God will change the heart of the one we are asking).  We obey with a cheerful heart.  We obey the first time and do the job completely.  We put all of our energy into a task and do not make plans for play (or multi-task moms).  We have to have an "I can" attitude and figure out how to get done what is requested of us.  Obedience is sometimes doing a job now and understanding later.  Obedience is based on what God tells us is right and true.  *This list was adapted from Character Journal.com.
We also learned that we are under God's protection so long as we are obedient but once we choose to be, or allow our children to be, disobedient to God and His teachings we are opening ourselves and our children up to satan's control.  So the choices are that our children are under God's protection or under satan's control.  I don't think that this is much of a choice.  We have to teach them to obey us and God.  Now this is no easy task my friends in fact it often seems impossible.  Not one day goes by that Satan doesn't put the thought in our heads that this is too hard and we will never teach all of these children to be obedient.  We cannot be deceived by satan or society.  This is more important than we thought.
^"Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.  Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me." 
John 14:23-24