Do You Desire To Bring Your Child Into The Kingdom?

It's hard enough to be a Christian parent in this world. How do we combat the forces of evil while at the same time raise our children to desire to walk in God's light? By seeking His face, His Word and inspiration from each other as we stumble through this parenting process together. You will find all the instruction, encouragement and resources you need right here at The Greatest Mission Trip You'll Ever Take to help you be the most effective witness to your child that God would have you be. Look around and come back often. Let's learn together.

Monday, May 12, 2008

Thou Shalt Not

For the next five days we’re looking at the second commandment and how it is to impact our relationship with God, our spouse and raising our children to the Lord. For some of us the truth is going to hit close to home and require us to reevaluate our priorities.

The second commandment says,

You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.

Ancient Israel, during various times in their history, was known for worshipping the gods of their neighbors and falling away from following the one true God. Nowadays, we don’t hear so much about wooden statues or rock carvings as being our other gods as much as we hear about the love of money, status, position or material things.

But let me ask two questions:

Is God the central focus of your marriage or is it your spouse?
If someone gave you the ultimatum, forsake God or sacrifice your child, what would you do?

On the surface these questions appear to address two different genres of discussion, marriage and parenting. However, it boils down to one focus: What’s more important to you, God or your family? If it came right down to it, could you give up your family if God asked you to?

I confess I pray that I would never find myself in this position. Just how truly committed am I in making Jesus Lord of my life? Have I really turned it all over to Him? Have I relinquished utter control of my happiness, security and dreams to the God I say I follow, or do I cling to my family, to my spouse and children, and say, “No Lord, not them”?

Have I made my family into an idol, where being a spouse and parent is of greater consequence than God Himself?

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