Children

May 1, 2010David Ashcraft
I hope you have had a good week. Mine has been busy with travel and serious medical issues in our extended family and our 'business" family. But once again God has demonstrated his love and comfort, his greatness and his mercy. Sunday's Bible study is about God's love and the importance of the His word - the Bible, in understanding His plan for us and for growing our faith.
The marriage enrichment seminar at Bethlehem-Knightdale last weekend referenced Barbara and Dennis Rainey several times. They publish a daily devotional for couples, Moments with You, and I have copied their devotional for today below. There is a link at the end of the post to the Family Life website for those interested in receiving the daily email.

A Burden or a Blessing?

Psalm 127:3,5
Behold, children are a gift of the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.

Many parents today feel like kids are a burden. That's not what the Bible calls them. It doesn't say, "Behold, children are a burden of the Lord," or "Burdened is the man whose quiver is full of them."

Our views have become distorted. What we see as a burden, God sees as a blessing. Some of us need to knock the windows out of our corrupted views and let the Spirit of God come into our homes and refresh our hearts and minds so we can see clearly again that children are a blessing.

Don't get me wrong. Barbara and I will be the first to tell you we are in process with our children. We have failed many times. And I have been so frustrated, after exhausting all rational reasoning, all reward systems and all "biblical approaches," that the only thing left for me to do was yell, throw a box of Kleenexes at the floor, slam the door and walk out-just like my kids do. Which just convinces me that one of God's greatest purposes for parents is to bring us face-to-face with our own depravity.

We want life to be easy, or at least bearable. And when children make our lives difficult, we begin to feel they are burdens. But we fail to realize what God makes clear-our children are gifts from God. God has given us our children for His glory and our good.

When I speak at our FamilyLife Marriage Conferences, I'm always struck by how surprised couples are when I explain that our mates are gifts from God. Why are they so astounded? Don't they know our God? He wants to bless us. He's out for our best interests!

In the same way, you need to receive your children as gifts from God. If you do, your whole attitude will change. No longer will you try to change your kids... no longer will you consider them burdens. Instead, you'll view them as true blessings from God entrusted to you.

Prayer: With your mate, acknowledge your children as gifts from God.

Discuss: How do you view your children - as burdens or blessings?

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