If you are like me you tend to pray for help and guidance in specific parenting situations. Lord, please enable Cole to enjoy baseball so we can get through the season. Lord, please do not let Emma fall off that horse as she races around the barrels on a huge animal. These are reactive prayers; prayers to help a situation that is already in motion. However, if we look at the successful kings and parents in the bible, they were proactive in their prayers and parenting. Throughout 2 Chronicles and much if Israel's history, the successful kings were those who prayed to the Lord and asked where he would lead, into battle, into the land, where to build the temple, instead of prayers for success in a battle already at hand, or favor in a land they were already in, or blessing on a temple they had already created.
In Judges, there is a woman who is barren and is visited by an angel of the Lord who tells her that she will have a son. She goes to her husband, Manoah, and tells him of her experience and his FIRST reaction is the following: "Then Manoah prayed to the Lord: 'O Lord, I beg you, let the man of God you sent to us come again to teach us how to bring up the boy that is to be born." Judges 13:8
Manoah went directly to God, proactively and asked for direction in bringing up the son he was promised. That son turned out to be Samson, who, even in his faults, was a man of God. Manoah entrusted his son to God before he was even born. He started the parenting adventure by seeking God's direction while Samson was still in the womb. Similarly, Hannah and Elkanah sought the Lord when they were pregnant with Samuel. They proactively prayed that he would be a man of God from the beginning.
"She said, "Oh, my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the LORD. "For this boy I prayed, and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of Him. "So I have also dedicated him to the LORD; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the LORD." 1 Samuel 1:26-28
Manoah went directly to God, proactively and asked for direction in bringing up the son he was promised. That son turned out to be Samson, who, even in his faults, was a man of God. Manoah entrusted his son to God before he was even born. He started the parenting adventure by seeking God's direction while Samson was still in the womb. Similarly, Hannah and Elkanah sought the Lord when they were pregnant with Samuel. They proactively prayed that he would be a man of God from the beginning.
"She said, "Oh, my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the LORD. "For this boy I prayed, and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of Him. "So I have also dedicated him to the LORD; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the LORD." 1 Samuel 1:26-28
The Lord wants us to be proactive. When we are proactive everything tends to go better. I just had a situation where this played out. My son is a thoughtful and planned child. He is not comfortable when he is rushed, he does not like to be late, and does not enjoy new situations if he is not appropriately ready and prepared. This preparation includes the getting ready for, leading up to, circumstances around, and time during all situations. Little League opening day just passed. During the week I knew that I had to get his picture order envelope in, his uniform collected and tried on and be sure that I reminded him of the event the day before and the morning of the event. So I did everything except the 'try on the uniform' portion. As we started to run short on time the morning of opening day, I sent Cole to his room to put on his uniform knowing full well this might not go well. After a couple minutes I walked in and found him crying at his mirror. His pants were huge and we did not have time to sew them or exchange them. He would not wear last year's pants because they were different and he is a rule follower and to him a uniform is a uniform. I hugged him, pinned the back of the pants and we both dug deep for the grace to deal with the situation and to move forward. He made it to the opening day and had a great time.
Generally, we parents try to be proactive for our children in a lot of situations. We try to be proactive but sometimes things fall through the cracks. How much more important is it to start with proactive prayer and guidance in all parenting situations? Do we trust God to come through? Even in what we see as little stuff, like baseball opening day? "...because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day." 2 Timothy 1:12
I am proactively trying to entrust my children to God each day. I am excited to proactively parent them according to God's word and direction. More on that next week!
I am proactively trying to entrust my children to God each day. I am excited to proactively parent them according to God's word and direction. More on that next week!
By His Grace
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