Tag: God’s Will

Prepared for God’s Timing

On By cdyeagerwritesIn Children, Devotions, Fatherhood, ParentingLeave a comment

When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape.  For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” – Esther 4:12-14 (NIV)

There is a short list of things I would like to accomplish in life and near the top is raising children who are prepared to do the will of God.  Esther was raised to be more than a bauble on the arm of a pagan king.  She was raised to be a daughter of Israel; being Queen was about location, not vocation.  Esther was called to be a deliverer, an instrument in God’s hands to save His people.

I do not know where life will take my children, but I do know that decisions will come that will not be easy.  They will have a choice between serving God and serving themselves.  It is my responsibility to help prepare them for those moments.  Day by day, my vision needs to be clearly focused on leading them towards Christ.

Mordecai had the right words at the right time, but he was calling to something that was already in Esther’s heart and mind.  She had been raised to believe in her people; raised to be a Jew.  When Mordecai tells her that she is in her place for a reason, it is not said in a vacuum.  I can’t expect to wait until the moment of decision comes for one of my daughters to dispense some wisdom and expect it to act like a magic wand.  Laying the foundation always gives them something to rely on.

Lord, help me to disciple my children to be Your children.  Give me the wisdom to teach them all they need from me to live according to Your will.  May I raise children who are prepared for the opportunities You will place in their path.  Amen.

Content

On By cdyeagerwritesIn Children, Devotions, Fatherhood, ParentingLeave a comment

LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. – Psalms 16:5-6 (NIV)

If there is one thing that I hope to instill in my girls while they are young, it is the discipline of being content.  More than that, I want them to seal in their hearts a satisfaction with who God made them to be and to pursue it with vigor.  God has assigned each of us our portion and we need to live with wholehearted intent to explore all that entails. This is not a task for the lighthearted.

First, we must be pursuing that same thing ourselves with wholehearted intent.  We must lead for them to follow.  Every day presents its challenges to this leadership – self-interest, temptations and the devil himself – that will not let up just because we would like it to be so.  We lead because what we are leading our children to is far more important than any challenge we face on the way.

Second, as much as we try to protect our children from the world, someday they will need to live in it, but not of it.  Our culture has become too influenced by manufactured discontent. We are told we need the newest, brightest, fastest car or computer or phone so we can be relevant.  Our children are right in the midst of this and we will need to reinforce that their worth comes from who they belong to and not what belongs to them.

God has made each one of us to fill a space and time a certain way.  He has assigned us our portions.  We will never be happier anywhere else.   Helping our children walk into the time and space that God has designed them for is a privilege and a challenge.  Developing the character in them to occupy that time and space with all their mind, soul, strength and heart is demanding but rewarding.  We have to go first.  We have to occupy our space and time with everything we are for them to model.

Lord, help me be occupied with Your will and design for my life.  Give me encouragement through Your Holy Spirit to live a life fully vested in being what You want me to be, where You want me to be, how You want me to be.  Let me lead my children in that same way with gentleness and grace. Amen.

Prepared to for God’s Timing

On By cdyeagerwritesIn Children, Devotions, Fatherhood, ParentingLeave a comment

When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape.  For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” – Esther 4:12-14 (NIV)

There is a short list of things I would like to accomplish in life and near the top is raising children who are prepared to do the will of God.  Esther was raised to be more than a bauble on the arm of a pagan king.  She was raised to be a daughter of Israel; being Queen was about location, not vocation.  Esther was called to be a deliverer, an instrument in God’s hands to save His people.

I do not know where life will take my children, but I do know that decisions will come that will not be easy.  They will have a choice between serving God and serving themselves.  It is my responsibility to help prepare them for those moments.  Day by day, my vision needs to be clearly focused on leading them towards Christ.

Mordecai had the right words at the right time, but he was calling to something that was already in Esther’s heart and mind.  She had been raised to believe in her people; raised to be a Jew.  When Mordecai tells her that she is in her place for a reason, it is not said in a vacuum.  I can’t expect to wait until the moment of decision comes for one of my daughters to dispense some wisdom and expect it to act like a magic wand.  Laying the foundation always gives them something to rely on.

Lord, help me to disciple my children to be Your children.  Give me the wisdom to teach them all they need from me to live according to Your will.  May I raise children who are prepared for the opportunities You will place in their path.  Amen.