It’s a bit hard to describe the grandeur of sets like the new “The Ten Commandments” box set.  This thing is massive, contains 6 discs of content (3 BluRays and 3 DVD’s), reproduced materials, and a parting waters box set packaging.  In addition, all 6 discs are housed in a tablet made to look like the pieces of holy rock Moses passed down to the Israelites.  The irony is a tad humorous that the package is so grandiose (given that whole golden calf thing God was so upset about), but completists and film buffs will find this limited edition box sitting comfortably right next to the Gone With the Wind and The Wizard of Oz whose releases were equally massive.

And why not?  This is a “golden age of cinema” kind of a film, the kind they don’t quite make anymore.  Lavish costumes, epic scenes, and classic performances make this set a must have for fans of classic Hollywood epics, one that is 4 hours long.  The 2 disc BluRay and DVD sets are far more modest in their look and packaging, but I digress – let’s talk about what is inside the big box.

I read in a devotional recently this quote from F.B. Meyer:

"It is impossible to rush into God's presence, catch up anything we fancy, and run off with it. To attempt this will end in mere disillusion and disappointment. Nature will not unveil her rarest beauty to the chance tourist. Pictures that are the result of a life of work do not disclose their secret loveliness to those who stroll down a gallery. And God's best cannot be ours apart from patient waiting in His holy presence."

In April, I made a quick trip down to Virginia Beach to lead worship for a women's retreat there. The topic of the four sessions was Sabbath. I was very challenged by the excellent teaching of my friend Laura Shibut, who has learned the "hard way" how necessary the Sabbath is to the life of faith. My "take away" from the weekend was that I have been willfully and wantonly disobeying one of the Big Ten.

Enhancing or reestablishing a relationship with a parent may have a profound impact upon a person’s emotional well-being. It isn’t random chance that one of the ten fundamental commandments given to ancient Israel was “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” This benefit of developing a positive, loving relationship with one’s parents is affirmed in the New Testament: “Honor your father and mother—which is the first commandment with a promise—that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

Ideally, love should flow from parent to child. When this takes place and the child genuinely feels loved, it is easy for them to honor their parents. However, when a single adult grew up in a home where he felt unloved, abandoned, or abused, it is much more difficult to honor these parents. I believe that as adults we must take responsibility for enhancing the relationship with our parents; this is especially important if they were deficient in meeting our needs. There is nothing more important than love in this process. Love breaks down barriers, leaps over walls, and seeks the well-being of another.