A Grand Goal!

Thank God for fathers and mothers! Yes, thank God for MY father and mother. Though imperfect, they were the parents God gave me so in that way they were God’s perfect will for me. When my wife and I began our own family, I wanted to model many things after their methods. But not all. In some ways they failed and in those areas I have wanted to do better. You parents are no doubt the same. In light of this, think of the challenge in Isaiah 58:12. “And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.” Yes, God desires to enable you and me to lay the foundations, not just of godly children, but of many (godly) generations! Yes, we will fail at times and will need to admit it when we do. But isn’t this a grand goal to set before us: husbands and wives living together in harmony and love fulfilling their proper roles, parents training their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and children learning to walk with the Lord?
To raise up the foundation for godly generations will require constant, daily care and protection. This is because all around our families are enemies desiring its destruction. Attacks on the roles of fathers, mothers, wives, and husbands, along with encouragement toward rebellion for our children make the task daunting. It is like planting a tree in a storm; everything is working against our success except God!
For example, to keep our children on track will require as parents to do with our children what our hypothalamus does for our body. This tiny organ at the base of our brain constantly monitors many things, including our blood temperature. When it is off just .1º, the hypothalamus signals the body to make adjustments. How can we as parents be that sensitive to our children’s needs and struggles?
During the years we home schooled our children, I started the once-a-month practice of taking a day off from schoolwork and spending an hour with each child alone. I determined to ask questions and do a lot of listening. My questions were (to me) uncomfortably personal, dealing with things like their walk with the Lord, adolescent temptations, and gripes about our parenting practices. Even my sermons as their pastor could be critiqued. My children were open and honest in their responses and I was shocked at some of their answers. Yet without this time, I never would have known some of the struggles they were facing.
As parents, let’s share with one another further ways we monitor our children’s spiritual walk and help them stay on track. Write them out and I will share them in this column. As a result, in His strength and wisdom, may we each raise up the foundation for many godly generations, should the Lord delay His coming.