During the season of thanksgiving, I would be remiss to not thank God for the children He gave me. Let me say before you read any further. Godly children only come from God. They are a blessing from Him and He alone deserves the credit for godly lives. It is He who calls us to repentance to salvation. It is He who gives the indwelling of the Holy Spirit for guidance. It is He who gives us instructions to follow to be what He wants us to be. When you buy a lawn mower and put it together the credit for a properly working mower does not go to the one who followed the instructions, but to the one who invented the lawn mower and wrote the instructions. God created us and wrote the instructions to live according to His design. Therefore, any glory goes to Him alone. In Genesis 1:28, God gives the command to the only creation that was made in His image. He tells them to be fruitful and multiply. Children were not an afterthought, God had them in the plan from before creation. God not only gave Adam and Eve children, but He also gave them dominion over everything on earth. Their instructions were to pass this authority and responsibility on to their children.
All throughout scripture, God gives instructions on parenting. You will know the quality of your parenting when you one day see how your grandchildren are following Christ. In Proverbs 17:6, we are taught “children’s children are the crown of old men (and women).” They will reveal what they have been taught about God, or if they truly know God. The goal is for them to know Him!
Genesis 1:28 “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.”
Proverbs 17:6 “Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.”
God gives us children as a blessing from Him and we are to train them in the law and love of the Lord. In Deuteronomy 6:6-7, God commands us to teach our children about Him. It is not a sit-down lesson to be taught and then reviewed occasionally, but a lifestyle to be demonstrated day in and day out.
In Proverbs 29:17, God also commands us to discipline our children. If we obey this command, there is a blessing and promise attached. We will have rest, not worry, and our souls will delight in godly children. Following these commands require diligent efforts on the part of both parents. We are not to discipline them in such a way as to frustrate them or provoke them to anger. Our commands should be easily understood, and we need to ensure that we teach in such a way they can follow the commands. This is what Ephesians 6:4 speaks about. When God commands something, we can rest assured we will be held accountable for it. One day we will stand before Him and answer as to why or why not we obeyed.
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sit in thine house, and when thou walk by the way, and when thou lie down, and when thou rise up.”
Proverbs 29:17 “Correct thy son and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.”
Ephesians 6:4 “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”
I am so thankful for all the teaching and training God’s word gives us. We were not perfect parents by any stretch of the imagination, but we did our best to raise our children according to His word. Thankfully, through prayer and God’s grace, we have been blessed to have sons who are fully committed to living and teaching God’s word. Was it easy in this world to raise godly children? No, but with the help of godly men as their pastors, and a church that taught the same biblical principles that we taught, we were able to surround them with godly examples of people that loved God and loved them. There were many days and nights spent praying for them to follow God with their whole hearts. There were many lessons taught that at the time seemed to be ignored, but God placed them in their hearts and minds and reminded them of His truths when we were not around. Our sons are now pastors leading others to God, but most of all they are godly dads leading their own children to follow God.
I am so thankful for the daughters God gave me when my boys married. God gave each son the wife that they needed to be successful in ministry and in the home. I can never thank God enough for these two godly women I call my daughters. We have also had the privilege of having grandchildren who love God. They prove that in their lifestyle and in their service to the Master.
I understand fully what the Apostle John felt when he wrote in III John that he had no greater joy than to hear that his children walk in truth. While John was speaking of spiritual children, it applies to biological children also. Nothing brings greater joy than to know that my children and grandchildren are saved and seeking to please God with their lives. I am so thankful for God’s grace and mercy.
III John 1:4 “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”
You may have read this today and feel cheated or defeated because your children are not following God. None of us are perfect parents. If you feel you have failed, run to God for help with a spirit of repentance. Pray for your children often with an emphasis on their spiritual life. We tend to pray that they will do well in their jobs, have healthy lives, and forget that the most important part of their lives is that they are right with God. If they are having problems, it may be God’s way of getting their attention. If your prayer is biblical, God will hear your prayer and will work in the lives of your children and grandchildren to bring them to a point where they see the need for Him. While it is their decision to accept and obey Him or reject Him, you can have an influence that is positive for Christ.
In Malachi 4:5-6, God speaks of a day when He will turn the hearts of the children and parents toward one another. This means you are to have a consuming passion for your child to live for God. It becomes the most important thing in your prayer life. Don’t give up, and don’t get bitter. Sometimes children say things that are hurtful, and our defense mechanism is to get angry and put a wall up. Don’t allow Satan to deceive you this way. Take the hurt to Jesus and keep on turning your heart to your child. Remember Jesus was rejected by those he loved, but it didn’t change His mission nor His love for them. Keep on keeping on, one day it will be worth it.
Malachi 4:5-6 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”
