There is nothing that hurts my heart more than knowing that I have unsaved children. My thoughts every morning are for them. My prayers every day are for them. My last thought at night is for them. My cube at work is plastered with scripture promises and reminders that God is able and willing to save. The things that God has laid on my heart concerning their lives is still fresh on my heart even though my head tries to tell me it's impossible. I never dreamed while my children were young and innocent that they would grow up to not serve God. I did all that I felt God ask me to in teaching them, training them, and praying for them. I don't feel that I failed in raising them right, and believe me, I've sought the Lord about this extensively. I made mistakes, but no more than any other parent has or will make. I think I can relate with any other mother who also has a wayward son or a prodigal daughter.
Through the years I've listened to parent's conversations about their children. One thing I've heard has really disturbed me. I've often heard, "well, he/she is not serving the Lord....BUT...they are a good father/mother, a nice person, or a loving son/daughter. He/she even attends church." As if that makes a difference somehow! In essence they are saying that they were successful as parents in that their children have conformed. The problem is that they don't sound very concerned over the lack of transformation! At the very foundation of this way of thinking is a relief that they don't look bad. Unfortunately this way of thinking does not carry the urgency that one needs to pray for the lost. I don't care if your child is President. If they are lost, they're just as lost as a bum on the street. All the ground is level at the foot of the cross.
Whether your unsaved child is a nice person or an obviously rebellious mess really doesn't matter. The fact of the matter is that if they died or the Lord returned, they would still be lost. As a parent, it's much easier to hear that people like your children than it is to have women pulling their children to their sides when your kid walks in the room, but the scary one is no less saved than the nice one and deserves the same amount of love, care and interaction with Christians that are genuinally concerned for their souls.
I don't want moral children. I want saved, loving God, on their way to heaven children and I won't settle for anything less. If someone would ask me at prayer time where I'm going, I would tell them "I'm going to get my kids back."
The Lord denied the devil once a long time ago when he tried to steal my kids. He didn't do that so that they would be lost later.
I was reminded of a story in 1 Samuel 30. It says that David returned from battle to find that Ziklag had been burned and the women, children and livestock had all been stolen. Then the Bible says that "David and the people who were with him lifed their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep." After a time a weeping, David "strenghthen himself in the Lord his God" and then he went and got them back.
Too many parents who are burdened for their children stop at the weeping part. David's weeping did not get his family and goods back. He had to go and get them back. And the Bible says that he brought it ALL back.
Are you a weeping parent? Well weep until you can weep no more and then get up and strenghthen yourself in the Lord. Remember the promises He has made to you concerning your seed and stand on them. He didn't have His fingers crossed behind His back when He made them. Encourage yourself in knowing that although your kids are sinners, Christ gave His life for them and wants to save them the same way He did for you.
And one last thing. Don't let the self-righteous, demeaning, and sometimes downright nasty looks and comments of people with "perfect" kids deter or discourage you. Don't allow the devil to use them to make you feel that you were somehow inadequate as a parent lest he try to make you feel inadequate to pray for their salvation. Who else is going to labor over their souls with more sincerity than you? God instructed David to go get what was his. So lets do the same! Will you have to fight some battles? Probably. David did but God was with him and victory came.
Who's with me? Let's go get our kids back!
Through the years I've listened to parent's conversations about their children. One thing I've heard has really disturbed me. I've often heard, "well, he/she is not serving the Lord....BUT...they are a good father/mother, a nice person, or a loving son/daughter. He/she even attends church." As if that makes a difference somehow! In essence they are saying that they were successful as parents in that their children have conformed. The problem is that they don't sound very concerned over the lack of transformation! At the very foundation of this way of thinking is a relief that they don't look bad. Unfortunately this way of thinking does not carry the urgency that one needs to pray for the lost. I don't care if your child is President. If they are lost, they're just as lost as a bum on the street. All the ground is level at the foot of the cross.
Whether your unsaved child is a nice person or an obviously rebellious mess really doesn't matter. The fact of the matter is that if they died or the Lord returned, they would still be lost. As a parent, it's much easier to hear that people like your children than it is to have women pulling their children to their sides when your kid walks in the room, but the scary one is no less saved than the nice one and deserves the same amount of love, care and interaction with Christians that are genuinally concerned for their souls.
I don't want moral children. I want saved, loving God, on their way to heaven children and I won't settle for anything less. If someone would ask me at prayer time where I'm going, I would tell them "I'm going to get my kids back."
The Lord denied the devil once a long time ago when he tried to steal my kids. He didn't do that so that they would be lost later.
I was reminded of a story in 1 Samuel 30. It says that David returned from battle to find that Ziklag had been burned and the women, children and livestock had all been stolen. Then the Bible says that "David and the people who were with him lifed their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep." After a time a weeping, David "strenghthen himself in the Lord his God" and then he went and got them back.
Too many parents who are burdened for their children stop at the weeping part. David's weeping did not get his family and goods back. He had to go and get them back. And the Bible says that he brought it ALL back.
Are you a weeping parent? Well weep until you can weep no more and then get up and strenghthen yourself in the Lord. Remember the promises He has made to you concerning your seed and stand on them. He didn't have His fingers crossed behind His back when He made them. Encourage yourself in knowing that although your kids are sinners, Christ gave His life for them and wants to save them the same way He did for you.
And one last thing. Don't let the self-righteous, demeaning, and sometimes downright nasty looks and comments of people with "perfect" kids deter or discourage you. Don't allow the devil to use them to make you feel that you were somehow inadequate as a parent lest he try to make you feel inadequate to pray for their salvation. Who else is going to labor over their souls with more sincerity than you? God instructed David to go get what was his. So lets do the same! Will you have to fight some battles? Probably. David did but God was with him and victory came.
Who's with me? Let's go get our kids back!
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