standing before the Lord

   "therefore thus say's the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: 'Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to stand before Me forever."   Jeremiah 35:19

    Here in Jeremiah we have an interesting chapter.  In the midst of God's "prosecution" of Israel, the prophet stops to tell us a story of the family of Rechabites.  They are a family who has obeyed their father in what he commanded.  They were commanded to drink no wine, build no houses, plant no vineyards.  They were to live in tents, and all this they were supposed to do so that "they may live many days in the land where they are sojourners."  This calls to mind the first commandment with a promise.  This gives us an indication of how our God works in real lives, in history........ He loves, loves it when we honor our parents.  God has made the world in such a way that he gives us all fathers and mothers, to learn from, listen to and obey.  He loves to see a son listen closely to his father, obey him and honor him.  Jesus Christ, God in human flesh, submitted to his sinful father.......and I imagine this greatly pleased His Father in Heaven.  The sons of Eli, they did not honor their father and it did not go well for them.
    As we grow older our temptation is to not listen or hear our earthly fathers.  They may have advice and wisdom, but we are older and independent, but that is not what we see here with the Rachabites.  They are obeying their father generations down the line.  They are taking the 5th commandment seriously.  They are saying; "God has commanded us to honor our father."  Unlike Israel, who had long since played the harlot and forgotten her first love, the Rechabites listen to their father and obeyed him.  And because of this faithfulness God has promised to have a man of their family stand before Him FOREVER.  Wow, what a statement.....  FOREVER........FOREVER.  Standing before God forever.  So, if it's your desire to stand in the presence of God, start by honoring your parents.  Simple, yet not always easy.  We are tempted to look at our sinful parents and wonder why we are called to such a thing.  I think the answer is simple, if we cant love and honor our earthly fathers how can we love and honor our Heavenly Father?  God is saying, "if you want to honor Me, start by honoring the parents that I have given you........"  May the good Lord help us all.