Children and parents

This Sunday we were studying Ephesians 6v1-4 addressing both children and parents.  The vision that Paul paints is of family life lived out under the lordship of Christ.  Note the phrase “in the Lord” in v1 and “of the Lord” in v4.

Reflecting on the realities of life where parenting is going to be less than perfect, one person wrote to me in an email about the importance of forgiveness (used with permission):

“It struck me that as we ask for forgiveness from God for all our failings, and as we turn  to the cross in confidence, knowing that God has forgiven our sins, he is at the same time calling us to  forgive our parents for the times that they may have hurt us or put  pressure on us, perhaps in ungodly ways.  Because Jesus taught us to pray, “Forgive our sins as  we forgive those who sin against us,” I believe we need to learn to ask for God’s forgiveness, and I also believe that we need to learn to  forgive.  I felt very strongly that forgiveness, both asking for it and giving it, is really important in parent-children relationships.”