Encouragement for Christian Parents

As a Christian mother, my number one priority is to train up my children to know Christ. Nothing else can come close to the priority of wanting my children (and my children’s children, and my children’s children’s children…) to spend eternity with God – and with me! That goal drives every decision that I make in parenting. Michael and I spend much time teaching our children what we believe and why we believe it. Biblical teaching takes precedence in our homeschool, and we make every effort to talk of Biblical precepts as we go through our daily lives. Most importantly, we pray for our children.

And yet, we know that no matter what parenting decisions we make, the ultimate responsibility in our children accepting Christ as Savior will rest with… our children. An old pastor of ours used to say, “God doesn’t have any grandchildren,” meaning that no one is saved based upon their parent’s salvation, or lack thereof. Each of us must make that decision for ourselves, no matter what our roots are. The good news here is that anyone can be saved, even if they were not raised in the faith. The bad news is that there is no guarantee that they will.

So with that little thought, are you wondering why the title of this post is “Encouragement for Christian Parents”? Keep reading! ;-)

I was recently moved by an insight from my favorite parenting book, Shepherding a Child’s Heart. While I can not find the exact quote, the gist of the message is this:

God has already shown great mercy to our children, by placing them in our families.

He’s given us an inkling of His call to our children, by the very fact that he placed them in our homes. What a merciful thing, to be raised in a Christian family where they hear His truth, are taught His Word, and see faith lived out. By placing these children in our families, He demonstrates that their salvation must be pretty important to Him too!

We don’t bring our children to Christ by being perfect parents, and thank God for that! If that’s what it took, none of our children would ever be saved. But God did put them in our homes so we can influence them. And influence them we do.

God put them in our families so we can…

Pray for our children, to the One who created them, who can soften even the hardest heart of stone.

Teach our children diligently, day in and day out.

Live out our faith, imitating Christ to them.

Be honest with them when we fail – demonstrating our need for a Savior, repentance and the power of forgiveness.

In a home like that, children are blessed indeed! God has truly shown them great mercy already.

Take encouragement that while it’s true there is no guarantee, the very placement of our children in authentically Christian homes is a great blessing to them, and a great start on a path toward knowing Christ.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

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