Today's conversation with God is coming from Isaiah 54:11-17. I hope you can give yourself the blessing of listening to what he is saying to you there. The most well-known statement in this text comes from verse 17, but today God is putting something else on my heart . . .
All your sons will be taught by the LORD, and great will be your children's peace. (v. 13)
That's exactly what I want for my children! There is nothing more I could ask for them than for the level of peace they experience in their lives to be great! I think that's what most every parent wants and hopes for. We do our best to love them and spend time with them and give them many fun experiences. The park. Little league. Ice cream sundaes. Birthday parties filled with presents and balloons. Video games. Movies. Campouts. McDonald's. We give them everything we can to make their lives happy.
But while all those things are great, none of them are the real key that is going to unlock the door to a life of great peace. What is going to help them avoid following the crowd down all the wrong paths? What is going to keep their heart pure? How are they going to really love and care about the others around them instead of becoming mean and insulting like most kids in school do?
Where are they going to learn to wait to experience sex in marriage where they can have real, amazing intimacy instead of empty thrills that lead to shame, heartbreak, disease and unwanted pregnancies? What will inspire them to see themselves as the wonderful creations they are when the world is trying its best to make them feel inferior?
Where will they learn not to worry and fret about things? How will they navigate their feelings when someone they love dies? How will they find contentment? What will keep them from measuring their worth by the value of their assets or being owned by their possessions? How will they know what the right thing to do is? Where will they learn the joy of being generous with all they have and all they are and making a difference?
How will they learn what real love is and develop the capacity to love their mate all out with a serving, giving, tender love that just won't quit? Where will they gain the wisdom to make it through life's disappointments and painful experiences with grace, poise and hopefulness?
These are the things that will bring my children peace. And few if any of these things will happen by accident. These things are learned by knowing God . . . by knowing him personally and deeply . . . by receiving his love and loving him back. My children will have great peace in their lives to the degree that their hearts are taught by the Lord. And that starts with me, their parent. Above all things, it is my foremost duty and privilege as a parent to make sure that I guide them into a personal relationship with God and a real understanding of his will as he revealed it in Scripture.
Father, as you have taught me, may I be diligent about teaching my children of you. I want so much for them to know you so that they will know peace.
Please bless us by sharing what God impressed on your heart as you read this text! Comment below after signing into your Google account or just select Anonymous from the list. It's easy and you may encourage someone else!
So very true, Chris! The only way to true peace is a personal relationship w/ the one who created peace.....and the earlier we teach our children this truth, the more likely they are to believe and follow.
ReplyDeleteI went through my entire childhood w/out having a personal relationship w/ Christ. The choices I made and the lies that I believed, as a result, made for a mess of my life! When trouble came my way I didn't know where to turn, so I turned to unhealthy choices.
I am so thankful that someone else believed in this same truth when my son was very young! He came to know the love of Christ even before I did and now understands that God is his source of peace and protection and his ever present help in time of need.
As a parent, we want the best for our children, we want them to make good choices and to be outstanding individuals. We can't do this on our own! A personal relationship w/ Christ is the only way that our children will succeed and make the right choices when life's challenges come their way!
Lord, help us all to teach our children about your love, your salvation, your truth, your grace, your mercies, your desire to guide them and never leave them, your ability to take their burdens and give them true freedom, and your peace! Help us to pray for them and with them and talk about you in all circumstances. Help us to encourage a relationship w/ you, above all else, so that when storms come our children will know peace.
Thank you, Chris, for your words of encouragement and truth!
Michele
Thank you for your input, Michele! You have such good insights.
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