Abide

Quick question. How many of you have been able to convince your kids you are 100% right? All the time? I’m guessing the answer is exactly zero. Anyone whose child is any number of days old has already had some disagreements. I remember the days when I just needed my baby to agree that it was time to sleep, but no joy. Or I needed them to agree that shoes really are necessary in public places. Maybe I was able to force my will, but there was definitely no agreement.

Real talk for a minute here . Our children are going to disagree with us about Jesus. About the Bible. About what church should look like. Every single one will either argue, vote with their feet by walking away, or silently question as their hearts grow colder.

One of those options is ok with me.

So we welcome arguments and discussions in our house, but that is not the topic of this blog. Our topic is praying for our children, so when I read in 1John about some who “went out from us, but they were not of us” (2:19) I am compelled to pray.

John says the problem was, those who left denied that Jesus is the Christ.

Lord, may that never be said of us or of our children.

I would love to think that my children will grow in their faith in exactly the same way I have- oh, actually maybe not. Now that I think about it, I had some weird turns along the way, so what makes me think my path is the best one? It was mine, born out of my circumstances and the foundation my parents faithfully laid. Each of my children will have a different path- different from mine, and different from each other’s.

My prayer is that through the twists and turns of life, our children would always hold on to Jesus, our friend, our Savior. “Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you.” (2:23-24)