Worth the Time

CHAPTER 2: INVESTING IN THEIR SPIRITUAL GROWTH

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. — 3 John 4

One day, when I am old and very gray, sitting by my fireplace, and sipping a cup of tea, I hope I can confidently say that I am overflowing with joy because my children are walking in the truth of God’s Word. However, even when I am not so old and gray, there is nothing that gives me greater joy than to know that my children are walking in the truth. I pray they are making wise choices in the everyday matters of their lives concerning school, friends, church, family and all the different things that they are involved in.

Raising children to love the Lord and others and obey His commands is my biggest desire as a mother. I know that God is on my side, and He will fulfill that desire as I find my joy in Him and keep Him first in my life (Psalm 37:4). This is why we began with talking about how we can maintain and nurture our own relationship with God first. When we have our “foundation” in place, we can move to task of “building”. This is the building up of our children, spiritually, so that they will know our God. In this chapter, we will be talking what is important in leading those little people to Jesus. As mentioned before, this extremely important building task does not just happen. Our investment of time, prayer, tears, and effort, and our continually seeking God’s wisdom is required.

My children are not teenagers yet, so I am beginning to see glimpses of the fruit that they will bear later in life as well as the fruit that they are already bearing. I have learned my methods by studying Scripture, as well as by getting advice from many wise, older women whose kids are now adults, walking in obedience to the Lord. The following points describe the importance of investing in kids, from a spiritual point of view, so as to raise them to be Christ-followers and responsible people. As you read, pray and to listen to God and take notes on any other points He brings to your mind.

The Importance of Prayer

How much time do you take a day to pray for your children? Five minutes? Twenty minutes? Altogether one hour a day? Does the Bible say something specific about it? The Bible does say we are to pray on all occasions, and continually (Ephesians 6:18). Praying for our kids is an all-day, anytime, anywhere thing. We can never pray enough for our kids. It’s good to cover our precious ones in prayers offered to God, in faith. Praying for your children can start before conception. How many of us have asked God to give us a child? Prayer should continue during pregnancy, the newborn stage, the toddler years and the preschool, elementary and high school years. Our prayers should continue right into adulthood. The prayer of a mother is powerful. I have seen the fruit of prayer of many a mama whose children are now adults. I am personally so thankful to the Lord for my mother-in-law who always prayed for her children, and now I enjoy the fruit of her prayers—a godly man as my husband. I thank the Lord for godly, praying mothers!

Right from the time I was pregnant with my first child, God got me into a habit of praying for the growing baby in my womb. My first pregnancy ended up in a miscarriage. After that tragic incident, I was on my knees every single day, praying for the beating hearts of the healthy babies that eventually grew in my womb. I was thankful to God for every day of a healthy pregnancy, five times after that. Not only did I pray for the safe growth of the baby in the womb, and for a safe delivery, but also that the baby would grow up to know God, love Him, and obey Him. I do believe that God hears the prayers of mothers even before He brings their babies into the light of day. So, if you are a pregnant mama reading this book, then be encouraged to know that God hears your prayers for your growing baby. Pray each day, several times a day. Even if you did not pray for your children in pregnancy, don’t worry. God has still got your kids covered. My parents do not know the Lord yet, but the Lord knew me and chose me to belong to Him even before He created me. We know He is faithful and it is never too late to begin praying!!

It’s a wonderful privilege to pray, asking the God of the universe to bring your baby safely into the world. Even with amazing medical advancements, many things can go wrong. Not every baby is born healthy. Not every birth smooth sailing. But we can trust God. We can put our anxieties about labor, pain, type of birth-choice, and the post-natal health of the baby and mother—everything—in God’s hands, through prayer.