Ephesians 6: 1-3 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.”
The first command with a promise: My first thought on reading this verse was that every commandment comes with a promise. Doesn’t he tell us that if we hope in the Lord and trust in Him, He will renew our strength like the eagle? (Isaiah 40:31)
And doesn’t he promise that if we seek him we will find him? (Matthew 6:33) If we turn from our wickedness he will heal our land? (2 Chronicles 7:14)
But there is something very parental about this verse. As a child I always loved commandments that came with a promise. “Behave yourself at the grocery store and we’ll stop for ice cream on the way home,” “Play without arguing and you can your friend can spend the night.” Promises are incredible motivators to keep the commands of the Lord.
Of course God word says that all his commands are righteous and true, trustworthy and sweeter than honey, but if you’re anything like me, a little mercenary motivation goes a long way.
Here are a few others that offer a promise as we keep his word and trust his ways
James 5 reminds us that when we are sick, we can call the elders of the church to pray. The prayer of faith saves us and if there is sin, it is forgiven. I love that the prayer of faith brings promised forgiveness.
What a wonderful reminder us that when we are sick we are not alone. We can call the elders of the church to pray. The prayer of faith saves us and if there is sin, it is forgiven. I love that the prayer of faith brings promised forgiveness.
2 Corinthians 9:6-7 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
Generosity is so important to God that he makes a specific promise regarding it. Generosity is imbedded in the very DNA of a son or daughter of God. And God promises to send a veritable harvest of blessings into our lives as we share his blessings with others. Unlike unfunded mandates from Congress, God always provides to us what he wants from us.
These are just a few. What other commands with a promise can you think of today?