Sunday afternoon Nick watched one of our family's favorite movies while Tom and I took our ordained day-of-rest nap. When we woke up we tried to discern from the muffled movie sounds how far along he was in the plot. Suddenly, we heard a loud "BEEEEEEEEP!" and we knew exactly which scene he was watching. Nick had censured the one "bad word" in the film for himself.
 |
| Nick Noland at the Riverside Ice Rink in Little Rock. First time on ice skates! |
From the time each of our children were babies I've prayed one constant prayer alongside every other prayer for them: "Lord, make them super-sensitive to Your Spirit." Both children made Jesus the Lord (or Boss, as I explained it then) of their lives when they were four years old. From that point on, I had the Ally of all allies working in my children to shape them into godly people. I had already discovered even mothers can't force their children to do the right thing for the right reasons. And, even more frustrating, I learned mothers don't always have the right answers. Sometimes parenting feels like one bad ice skater trying to help a worse ice skater across the ice without serious injury to anyone.
Just this morning as Nick and I were discussing a potentially slippery situation I could have said "Do this. Done deal. Case closed." Nick would have obeyed because he's a good kid, but this response wouldn't help him learn how to listen to the Spirit in the long run. Instead of giving him a decisive answer, I explained his dad and I won't always be with him to help him know the right thing to do. I told him to pray today about what he should do while I pray about it at home. Guess what I'm praying?
Just this morning as Nick and I were discussing a potentially slippery situation I could have said "Do this. Done deal. Case closed." Nick would have obeyed because he's a good kid, but this response wouldn't help him learn how to listen to the Spirit in the long run. Instead of giving him a decisive answer, I explained his dad and I won't always be with him to help him know the right thing to do. I told him to pray today about what he should do while I pray about it at home. Guess what I'm praying?
"Lord, make Nick super-sensitive to Your Spirit today. Help him hear and know Your Voice guiding him in what to do. Use this seemingly small decision as a stepping-stone of faith in his life to make him a spiritual leader. Don't let him hurt himself by going against Your Spirit. Don't let me hurt my integrity as a parent by teaching him to make wise choices while not making them myself. Keep me from assuming I know the right thing for him before I seek You. Paul was so confident he was right when he persecuted Christians but You told Him he was really persecuting You and only hurting himself. Reveal Yourself to Nick and to me today. Speak clearly to both of us and bring us to one mind in You.
In the Name of Jesus, Your Son who was always one with You!
In the Name of Jesus, Your Son who was always one with You!
". . . And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Matthew 28:20
"We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic,
"Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads."
Acts 26:14
Inspired by Jesus Calling and My Utmost for His Highest
Photo by Nick Akin
No comments:
Post a Comment