“Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'” Matthew 19:14
In a fragment of life, pregnant with pain, I caught a glimpse of unadulterated faith in the naïve prayer of my youngest child. Her prayer came out of place of raw sorrow. I had already spent many hours face first in prayer, on the floor sucking carpet fibers, while blowing snot bubbles, in between weeping gasps when I heard her prayer.
Her prayers were for her brother as the world’s consequences rippled through our family in waves. No one was immune to the desperation of this time. I walked through the park with my two daughters and I tried to explain issues above their age levels. In the end I explained that all they could do was pray for their brother and love on him.
My youngest stopped immediately and lead us in prayer. As she prayed my broken heart wept. I knew her prayer would literally take a miracle. God not only heard her prayer, but outside of the reach of our influence answered it. When we discovered that her outrageous prayers had been answered, she squealed in delight, “I took part in a miracle!”
As a witness to her expectant prayers poured out to God I caught a glimpse into the hope our future holds. Our future is now; they are here, walking among us. With every day that breaks our future sets and theirs rises.
In this very moment we stand in the presence of our future. They fill our classrooms, wearing the evidence of snack time on their faces.
Our future is those yet unborn, however already planned by God. Our future is just hearing “Jesus Loves Me” for the very first time. They are singing, dancing and praising Jesus. Our future is being taught by the world what it means to be cool. They have reached their awkward teenage years. They are taking their first college course, working their first job, falling in love, suffering broken hearts and learning to drive. They just got engaged, married and are having the next generation. The future is young, hopeful and impressionable.
What is God calling you to do for our future now? Prayerfully consider what God is calling you to do in the shepherding of our future.
Wow, this makes me cry! It reminds me of my youth, when I was raised in a strict church and later compromising with the things of the world. I was in a phase where I wanted to experience a bit of the world (music, clubs etc.) and compromise my walk with Christ. I wanted to follow him “my way.” I went off to College and immediately found a church (because that is all I knew to do… was to attend church on Sundays). My parents moved me into a comfy apartment and let me be. I was on my own, but despite the new interests of partying with friends (still determined not to smoke, drink or use drugs) I had to find a church. Contrary to my new worldly views, I found a Bible led church near my new home, in which I attended every Sunday, until arrangements were made with my part time job at Dillard’s, scheduling me commonly on Sundays (despite my requests off). I found myself attending church every 3 weeks. I tried going to another church to pick up the schedule in attending church. I guess I was living “worldly” and lost, but God was “inherently” calling me back. I fit many of the characteristics of the compromising churches described in Revelations. I invented my own compromising faith contrary to God’s will (I invented a new doctrine to follow mixed with worldly desires). I was “luke-warm” and dead. I later found myself pregnant, when God really opened my eyes! My premarital sin was exposed and I was lost. It was at this time God really dealt with my heart and I fully submitted to him (humbly). I have to say my mother engrained the need for God in my heart at a young age. I knew God was necessary in my life, I just wanted to put him on hold. I now pray for my own son, because with all the signs of Gods coming, I pray that he not stagger in the wrong direction, because there doesn’t seem much time for testing out of the realm of God. I can just say with my teen, I hold on to the words of God and faith of “train up a child in the ways he should go, and he shall not depart.” If God constantly worked with me, he is working in many others. Thank you for posting your thoughts, I have a brother who strayed and he is slowly coming back and I know God is constantly working, when we follow through with bringing up our children in the ways of God. This posting was a beautiful reflection of children, faith and prayer, but also parenting. PROVERBS 28-31 28 Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her: 29 “Many daughters have done well, But you excel them all.” 30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. 31 Give her of the fruit of her hands, And let her own works praise her in the gates. :o) I have to say God uses the parents as teachers. He also can use us with the Special Need Children and Adults of this World. They are precious people that love company. God can use us in ministering to them. Many of them are “teachable” and grasp Gods plan for their lives easier than many others (including myself at one time).
Thank you so much for for sharing your story and how God is using you.