Created for God's Glory

 •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 7
 
There is a reason why God has given us children. He tells us in Isaiah 43:66I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; (Isaiah 43:6) and 7, “Bring my sons  ...  and my daughters  ... for I have created him for my glory.” God is so thrilled with His Son, the Lord Jesus, that He wants our sons and daughters (and us!) to be like Jesus, to be “conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:2929For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29)). Whatever goals we may have for our children, this should be at the top of our list.
It doesn’t happen automatically. Only in the power of God will we be able to raise our children for God’s glory. We start by praying for our children. Hannah began praying even before her child Samuel was born — “For this child I prayed” (1 Samuel 1:2727For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him: (1 Samuel 1:27)). We can pray for them as we feed them in the middle of the night. “Arise, cry out in the night:  ...  lift up thy hands toward Him for the life of thy young children” (Lamentations 2:1919Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street. (Lamentations 2:19)). We “ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:11And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; (Luke 18:1)). We need to keep praying until they or we are Home: “God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray” (1 Samuel 12:23).
It is both a privilege and responsibility to open to them God’s way for their life. Self-will manifests itself naturally. In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit requires cultivation on God’s part and ours.