THREE ANGELS BROADCASTING NETWORK DEVOTIONAL.
Honor and Love
By Bobby Davis
May 20th, 2026
“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” Exodus 20:12
I remember the first time I heard that the Ten Commandments could be summed up in just two. That was surprising to me, because at an early age, I knew there were ten. However, the preacher went on to read Matthew 22:37 where Jesus said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
I grew to understand that the first four commandments dealt with our relationship to God, and the last six dealt with our fellow human beings. But later, someone pointed out that the fifth commandment had a promise attached, and when I looked it up, sure enough, it did: “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you” (emphasis supplied).
Wow, I didn’t know that, I thought.
I never forgot that promise, even during the years I wandered in my own “wilderness,” complaining about how life treated me, and how God had seemingly abandoned me. A life lived on self-will can hardly lead anywhere good, and mine certainly didn’t. But despite my efforts at self-destruction, something (or Somebody) kept me alive.
Good parents never give up on their children, and neither does God. He pursued me relentlessly, day and night; and as things got worse, I felt the pull to come back to Him. But what I didn’t know was that my parents were praying for me day and night, as well—and that God heard their pleas. The farther I ran from Him, the harder the Holy Spirit worked on my heart. Finally, when my choices brought life down on my head with a force I couldn’t resist, He pulled me back to Him; and with all the fight beaten out of me, I gave in and finally accepted His inescapable love.
Would all this have happened if not for the prayers of my godly parents? I don’t know. There are many who don’t have praying parents, but I’m inclined to believe that He impresses others to stand in the gap, offering intercessory prayers for people they sometimes don’t even know. All I can say is that those prayers did make a difference in my life—all the difference in the world. Not only did my parents give me life, but they also played a big part in saving it, too.
In the end, my relationship with my parents had deteriorated to the point that I hardly spoke with them. I was too ashamed, too busy, too wrapped up in my own problems. But just like the father of the Prodigal Son, when I approached Mom and Dad, they held their arms wide open.
Out of gratitude, and a new-found love and appreciation, I spent more and more time with them. I learned things about them I’d never known before; but, more importantly, I developed a deep love and respect for them.
Over time, we’ve become very close and our relationship changed. Gradually, the man and woman who had shared their time, resources, wisdom, and love with me began to depend on me for help. At first it was help with their devices, since technology was changing so quickly. Then it was ordering things online, and helping them with everything from their phones to their finances.
Today, I help them by coming to visit often—especially when my sister and brother-in-law need to travel. And because they’re only seven hours away, I get to see them quite often. It’s a joy to be there for the ones who have done so much for me. I love to talk to them, and just wish I could bottle up all their wisdom for when they aren’t with me anymore. So I call them—every single day—usually through a video call. They share their joys, their fears, and their prayer requests with me. And they always tell me how much they appreciate me—the same feeling I have for them. I send them cards “just because.” And I usually buy Mom flowers every day when I’m there visiting. The house fills up with flowers, and sometimes she cries because she’s so happy. But she’s worth it.
I’m not sure if I’m going to live to an old age, as the fifth commandment promises; but I trust the Lord to keep me alive as long as He can and will. Honoring my father and mother makes me supremely happy, and I thank God every day for the parents He blessed me with. I often tell Dad that when I grow up, I want to be just like him—and it makes him tear up, every time!
What a blessing it is to live by God’s commandments. And every day I wake up, I’m delighted to realize that the fifth commandment promise is coming true!
Honor and Love
By Bobby Davis
May 20th, 2026
“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” Exodus 20:12
I remember the first time I heard that the Ten Commandments could be summed up in just two. That was surprising to me, because at an early age, I knew there were ten. However, the preacher went on to read Matthew 22:37 where Jesus said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
I grew to understand that the first four commandments dealt with our relationship to God, and the last six dealt with our fellow human beings. But later, someone pointed out that the fifth commandment had a promise attached, and when I looked it up, sure enough, it did: “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you” (emphasis supplied).
Wow, I didn’t know that, I thought.
I never forgot that promise, even during the years I wandered in my own “wilderness,” complaining about how life treated me, and how God had seemingly abandoned me. A life lived on self-will can hardly lead anywhere good, and mine certainly didn’t. But despite my efforts at self-destruction, something (or Somebody) kept me alive.
Good parents never give up on their children, and neither does God. He pursued me relentlessly, day and night; and as things got worse, I felt the pull to come back to Him. But what I didn’t know was that my parents were praying for me day and night, as well—and that God heard their pleas. The farther I ran from Him, the harder the Holy Spirit worked on my heart. Finally, when my choices brought life down on my head with a force I couldn’t resist, He pulled me back to Him; and with all the fight beaten out of me, I gave in and finally accepted His inescapable love.
Would all this have happened if not for the prayers of my godly parents? I don’t know. There are many who don’t have praying parents, but I’m inclined to believe that He impresses others to stand in the gap, offering intercessory prayers for people they sometimes don’t even know. All I can say is that those prayers did make a difference in my life—all the difference in the world. Not only did my parents give me life, but they also played a big part in saving it, too.
In the end, my relationship with my parents had deteriorated to the point that I hardly spoke with them. I was too ashamed, too busy, too wrapped up in my own problems. But just like the father of the Prodigal Son, when I approached Mom and Dad, they held their arms wide open.
Out of gratitude, and a new-found love and appreciation, I spent more and more time with them. I learned things about them I’d never known before; but, more importantly, I developed a deep love and respect for them.
Over time, we’ve become very close and our relationship changed. Gradually, the man and woman who had shared their time, resources, wisdom, and love with me began to depend on me for help. At first it was help with their devices, since technology was changing so quickly. Then it was ordering things online, and helping them with everything from their phones to their finances.
Today, I help them by coming to visit often—especially when my sister and brother-in-law need to travel. And because they’re only seven hours away, I get to see them quite often. It’s a joy to be there for the ones who have done so much for me. I love to talk to them, and just wish I could bottle up all their wisdom for when they aren’t with me anymore. So I call them—every single day—usually through a video call. They share their joys, their fears, and their prayer requests with me. And they always tell me how much they appreciate me—the same feeling I have for them. I send them cards “just because.” And I usually buy Mom flowers every day when I’m there visiting. The house fills up with flowers, and sometimes she cries because she’s so happy. But she’s worth it.
I’m not sure if I’m going to live to an old age, as the fifth commandment promises; but I trust the Lord to keep me alive as long as He can and will. Honoring my father and mother makes me supremely happy, and I thank God every day for the parents He blessed me with. I often tell Dad that when I grow up, I want to be just like him—and it makes him tear up, every time!
What a blessing it is to live by God’s commandments. And every day I wake up, I’m delighted to realize that the fifth commandment promise is coming true!
THREE ANGELS BROADCASTING NETWORK DEVOTIONAL.
Honor and Love
By Bobby Davis
May 20th, 2026
“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” Exodus 20:12
I remember the first time I heard that the Ten Commandments could be summed up in just two. That was surprising to me, because at an early age, I knew there were ten. However, the preacher went on to read Matthew 22:37 where Jesus said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
I grew to understand that the first four commandments dealt with our relationship to God, and the last six dealt with our fellow human beings. But later, someone pointed out that the fifth commandment had a promise attached, and when I looked it up, sure enough, it did: “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you” (emphasis supplied).
Wow, I didn’t know that, I thought.
I never forgot that promise, even during the years I wandered in my own “wilderness,” complaining about how life treated me, and how God had seemingly abandoned me. A life lived on self-will can hardly lead anywhere good, and mine certainly didn’t. But despite my efforts at self-destruction, something (or Somebody) kept me alive.
Good parents never give up on their children, and neither does God. He pursued me relentlessly, day and night; and as things got worse, I felt the pull to come back to Him. But what I didn’t know was that my parents were praying for me day and night, as well—and that God heard their pleas. The farther I ran from Him, the harder the Holy Spirit worked on my heart. Finally, when my choices brought life down on my head with a force I couldn’t resist, He pulled me back to Him; and with all the fight beaten out of me, I gave in and finally accepted His inescapable love.
Would all this have happened if not for the prayers of my godly parents? I don’t know. There are many who don’t have praying parents, but I’m inclined to believe that He impresses others to stand in the gap, offering intercessory prayers for people they sometimes don’t even know. All I can say is that those prayers did make a difference in my life—all the difference in the world. Not only did my parents give me life, but they also played a big part in saving it, too.
In the end, my relationship with my parents had deteriorated to the point that I hardly spoke with them. I was too ashamed, too busy, too wrapped up in my own problems. But just like the father of the Prodigal Son, when I approached Mom and Dad, they held their arms wide open.
Out of gratitude, and a new-found love and appreciation, I spent more and more time with them. I learned things about them I’d never known before; but, more importantly, I developed a deep love and respect for them.
Over time, we’ve become very close and our relationship changed. Gradually, the man and woman who had shared their time, resources, wisdom, and love with me began to depend on me for help. At first it was help with their devices, since technology was changing so quickly. Then it was ordering things online, and helping them with everything from their phones to their finances.
Today, I help them by coming to visit often—especially when my sister and brother-in-law need to travel. And because they’re only seven hours away, I get to see them quite often. It’s a joy to be there for the ones who have done so much for me. I love to talk to them, and just wish I could bottle up all their wisdom for when they aren’t with me anymore. So I call them—every single day—usually through a video call. They share their joys, their fears, and their prayer requests with me. And they always tell me how much they appreciate me—the same feeling I have for them. I send them cards “just because.” And I usually buy Mom flowers every day when I’m there visiting. The house fills up with flowers, and sometimes she cries because she’s so happy. But she’s worth it.
I’m not sure if I’m going to live to an old age, as the fifth commandment promises; but I trust the Lord to keep me alive as long as He can and will. Honoring my father and mother makes me supremely happy, and I thank God every day for the parents He blessed me with. I often tell Dad that when I grow up, I want to be just like him—and it makes him tear up, every time!
What a blessing it is to live by God’s commandments. And every day I wake up, I’m delighted to realize that the fifth commandment promise is coming true!
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