Children in the spotlight

"Jesus called a child to Him..." - Artist unknown

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Matthew 17-18; Psalm 89

TO CHEW ON: "Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said…" - Matthew 18:2

In this teaching, where Jesus uses a live illustration—a child—He says some important things about children and the adults who guard them, care for them, and train them.

Children have qualities we adults should desire.
Jesus talks about entering the kingdom of heaven by becoming " ' ...as little children...' " (Matthew 18:3). Of course He doesn't mean we physically shrink down in size. The change is one of spirit. To even enter the kingdom of God, we need the childlike spirit of trust, dependence on God, and willingness to do what He says, like a child trusts and listens to a loving parent.

We become great in the kingdom when we have the humility of children (Matthew 18:4). With no pretense or attempt to impress, unspoiled children don't edit their behavior to win over the wealthy or be seen with the influential. They don't snub the person with ragged clothes or avoid the mentally challenged (though they may embarrass us with their frank comments about bad smells).

Children need the protection and care of adults.
Jesus curses the one who causes a child to sin (Matthew 18:6). He suggests that losing a limb to stop such offense is preferable to being whole and stumbling someone.

We shouldn't ignore or despise children. They have angelic advocates with God (Matthew 18:10). Their salvation is as important to Him as the one missing sheep is important to the shepherd of 100 (Matthew 18:14).

Our own children and grandchildren aside, we do well to ask ourselves: How do we feel about children? How do we treat them? Do we have patience with them? Are we kind to them? Or when they, say, interrupt the church service with their fussing do we send them or their parents dirty looks? When they get carried away on our street shooting their balls into our flowers or our yards, are we angry and abrupt?

In our interactions with children, let's remember how much God loves and values them. Let's be careful not to be those He condemns for giving offense.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for Your attention to children. Help me to be childlike in trust and humility, and always kind to the children in my life. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 89

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Leadership - how does yours rate?

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 2 Chronicles 9-12; Psalm 73

TO CHEW ON: "Blessed be the Lord your God, who delighted in you, setting you on His throne to be king for the Lord your God. Because your God has loved Israel, to establish them forever, therefore He made you king over them to do justice and righteousness." 2 Chronicles 9:8


The fashion these days is to criticize leaders, not praise them. The Queen of Sheba's idea that God had blessed Israel by letting her be ruled by a king as wise as Solomon seems foreign to us — fed as we are by scandal-driven media features, negative news items and critical editorials about our leaders.

But maybe we should stop criticizing and complaining. Because our rulers are actually there by God's permission and authority as much as Israel's were (see Romans 13:1).

It helps, of course, to change our focus and instead of looking for mistakes, look for ways our rulers are a positive force in our nation, region and town. Political parties and preferences aside, there is much to appreciate and be thankful for in our democratic leaders.

Politicians aren't our only leaders. Churches, organizations, even families have leaders. If you are a parent, you are a leader.

What kind of leaders are we? Would someone exclaim about our church, club or family how fortunate they are because they are under our leadership?

PRAYER: Dear God, Solomon prayed for divine wisdom to lead Israel. I need similar wisdom to lead in my small way in my family and every other place where I have leadership responsibilities. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 73 

MORE: Advice for leaders

Michael Hyatt, CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishing writes a lot about leadership on his blog Michael Hyatt - Intentional Leadership. Here are links to a few recent articles about leadership:

"Why Leaders Cannot Afford to be Easily Offended"

"Four Temptations Christian Leaders Face"

"A Tale of Two Leaders: Which Are You?" <— this is excellent!

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 Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Disrespect of fathers--an old attitude

Image: Microscoft Clipart

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Proverbs 28-31; Psalm 7

TO CHEW ON: "This is a generation that curses its father, and does not bless its mother." Proverbs 30:11


I don't think I can recall a TV show or commercial lately where fathers are honoured. The message is more likely to follow along the lines of certain credit card promos, where the dud of a father books a flight (to his parents' home or a vacation spot) at an inappropriate time because his inferior credit card company has blocked all the good weeks.

What follows is scenes of the family in full sweaty costume celebrating all the year's holidays in the heat of summer, or on the beach besieged by storms, or the tennis court hassled by swarms of bugs. The camera segues to one of the kids who mutters, "Dad needs to get a ___ card," followed by him / her looking at the camera and asking, "What's in your wallet?" They're funny, but they do carry the message: Poor dad. He sure is stupid. His kid is way smarter.

This attitude is not new. In fact it's as old as Jacob deceiving Isaac to get the blessing of the firstborn (Genesis 27:1-29).

There are many ways we can dishonour our fathers (and mothers; the Bible usually talks in terms of both parents):

1. By living lives of disobedience, rebellion, stubbornness and sensuality (Deuteronomy 21:18-21).

2. By showing lack of respect (Deuteronomy 27:16).

3. By taking sides and promoting dissension and quarreling in the family (Micah 7:6).

4. By failing to provide for them when they are in need and we have the means (Mark 7:9-13).

The Bible teaching is clear in its stand supporting fathers and parents in general.
1. The command to honour parents is one of the ten, and accompanied with the promise of long life (Deuteronomy 5:16).

2. The child who treats parents disrespectfully is living dangerously (Proverbs 30:17).

3. Robbing parents of what is their due puts children in cahoots with the destroyer (Proverbs 28:24).

4. Children betraying parents is one of the unnatural family behaviors that will typify end times (Matthew 10:21; 2 Timothy 3:2).

The application to us cuts many ways.

• If you are a father, you will want to live in a way that earns the commanded respect.

• If you are the wife of a father, it's important to refrain from undermining your husband to your children by going behind his back with deceitful, underhanded speech or manipulations like Rebekah did.

• If you are a child and your father is still living, you can provide for him (time, attention and respect are provisions as well as financial help if he needs it and living support if he is elderly or failing).

• Whether your father is dead or alive, you can focus on the good in him, refusing to dwell on the hurtful actions or lacks that may be a part of your memories.

How will you honour your father, not just on Father's Day (which we celebrate this month) but every day?

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for earthly fathers. Thank You for the gift of my dad and his godly example. For those of us who don't have earthly fathers, thank You for promising to be a father to the fatherless. Amen.


PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 7

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Do you have an obedient ear?

Photo from RGB Stock

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Proverbs 25-27; Psalm 6

TO CHEW ON: "Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold
Is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear." Proverbs 25:12


Rebuke isn't a word we use often these days. It means to reprove sharply, reprimand, check or restrain by command. Its synonym reprove (to rebuke, censure, blame) is almost as rare.

Perhaps we don't use these words because we don't do much rebuking or reproving. When the news carries stories of people getting beat up for trying to check or restrain bad behaviour, can we be blamed for keeping our mouths shut?

Yet here Solomon praises the person who learns from a rebuke. Other references to rebuke in the Bible help us understand from whom rebuke might come and how to receive and give it.

• Sometimes it comes from unexpected sources. In the Old Testament, rebuke came to Abram and Sarah from an Egyptian Pharaoh and Abimelech, the king of Gerar, when they lied about their relationship - Genesis 12:18 and Genesis 20:16.

• Rebuke is valuable when it comes from a righteous, wise person. In Psalm 141:5 the psalmist calls it "excellent oil." Our focus verse likens wise rebuke to gold jewelry.

• Parents are expected to rebuke their children and wise children will respond with corrected behaviour - Proverbs 15:5; Proverbs 2:1-22.
  

• Rebuke is most helpful when it's "open" vs. hidden, as in not delivered - Proverbs 27:5.

• We demonstrate whether we are foolish or wise by how we respond to it - Proverbs 17:10.

• God, our heavenly Father, shows His care for us when He rebukes us - Hebrews 12:5.

Have you been rebuked by someone lately? Or by God Himself? How do you tend to respond to rebuke?

Instead of getting our hackles up, or objecting "Who are you to tell me I'm wrong?!" let's prove ourselves wise by valuing righteous, helpful, needed rebuke and responding to it with an obedient ear.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to be open to rebuke today and to respond with an obedient ear. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 6

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The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. - Used with permission.

A heritage of wisdom

Image: Microsoft

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Proverbs 4-6; Psalm 149

TO CHEW ON: "Hear my children, the instruction of a father,
And give attention to know understanding." - Proverbs 4:1

Two weeks from today we celebrate fathers, on a day set aside as "Father's Day."

We can think of fathers in two ways: as children of fathers and as fathers of children. Solomon, the writer of Proverbs, has skillfully woven both viewpoints into our reading.

First he urges his kids to listen to his advice like he listened to his own father's words. His was a father who made a passionate case for his son's careful attention. Sample David's words as his son Solomon remembers them (New Living Translation):

“Take my words to heart. Follow my commands, and you will live.....Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you. Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do!....If you prize wisdom, she will make you great....She will place a lovely wreath on your head; she will present you with a beautiful crown” (excerpts from Proverbs 4:1-9)

Following that in verses 10-13 Solomon urges his children to follow this advice themselves. He names three reasons why:

1. Their lives will be prolonged (Proverbs 4:10).

2. Their journey will be swifter and smoother (Proverbs 4:11-12).

3. This instruction will be their life (Proverbs 4:13).

"Instruction" is an interesting word and not completely pleasant.

[Instruction (muwcar) means correction, chastisement, instruction, discipline, an admonition, rebuke or warning. Muwcar comes from the word yacar - "to reform, chastise, discipline, instruct." It encompasses chastening both by words and punishments (Proverbs 1:1-3; 22:15). Muwcar includes all forms of discipline intended to lead to a transformed life. - New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 809.]

Words of correction, rebuke, warning, or admonishment are harder for a child to take than words of praise, encouragement or affirmation. However, for fathers, they may be the easier, more natural words to give. Paul acknowledges this when he talks about fathers not discouraging their children:

"Fathers, do not provoke or irritate or fret your children [do not be hard on them or harass them], lest they become discouraged and sullen and morose and feel inferior and frustrated. [Do not break their spirit.]" - Colossians 3:21 - Amplified

And so fathers (and mothers) need a balance. For if correcting words are a child's life, a loving parent would not ever want to withhold them. But neither would that parent want to discourage, frustrate, or break the child's spirit.

In this every godly father and mother can be goaded and guided by the principal of love God applies when He scolds us. It's in Proverbs too - Proverbs 3:11-12

"My son, do not despise or shrink from the chastening of the Lord [His correction by punishment or by subjection to suffering or trial]; neither be weary of or impatient about or loathe or abhor His reproof, for whom the Lord loves He corrects, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights" - Amplified.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for my godly father. Though he has been gone a long time, his example still lights my life. As the wife of a father, help me to support my husband's fathering of our children. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 149
The Bible Project VIDEO: Wisdom (Wisdom series)





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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Listening to a child

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 2 Kings 4-7; Psalm 102

TO CHEW ON: "And the Syrians had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaman's wife. Then she said to her mistress, 'If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.'" 2 Kings 5:2,3


I love the unnamed little Israelite girl in this story. She gets past any resentment she may have felt at being captured and enslaved. She overcomes any fear or shyness she may have felt toward her mistress. It's her testimony of compassion and faith that gets this story started, and Naaman on the road to recovery.

In our time and place children are probably given a lot more credit and listened to more readily than were the youngsters (especially slave children) of Elisha's time. As parents, grandparents, teachers, and leaders, interaction with children is often a balancing act between training and disciplining them versus appreciating, doting on, and loving them.

The Bible tells stories of children who were obviously brought up well.

• Samuel assisted Eli in the temple - 1 Samuel 2:18.

• A boy alertly retrieved arrows for Jonathan prior to his secret meeting with David - 1 Samuel 20:36.

• Joash was crowned king at seven - 2 Chronicles 24:1.

• Jesus at twelve years was engrossed in fulfilling his destiny to be about His "'Father's business'" - Luke 2:49.

• A lad gave his lunch to Jesus - John 6:9.

There are also Bible stories of children that imply failed training.

• Elisha himself was the butt of a mocking gang of youths - 2 Kings 2:23.

• The prophet Isaiah includes disrespectful children in his list of things that will oppress people - Isaiah 3:5.

Jesus' attitude toward children is a good one to study and imitate.

• He invited them to come to Him and blessed them - Mark 10:14; Matthew 19:14.

• He warned against causing them to stumble - Mark 9:42.

• He appreciated and encouraged their praise as He recalled David's psalm about the potential of a child's words: "'Out of the mouths of babes and nursing infants / You have perfected praise'" - Matthew 21:15,16, quoting: "Out of the mouths of babes and nursing infants / You have ordained strength, / Because of Your enemies, / That you may silence the enemy and the avenger" Psalm 8:2.

Let's keep these things in mind as we relate to the children in our lives.

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for the potential in each child. Help me to listen to and love well the children in my life. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 102 

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Hagar the single mom

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Genesis 19-21


TO CHEW ON: "And God heard the voice of the lad. Then the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven and said to her, 'What ails you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is.'" Genesis 21:17.


I can't help but feel sorry for Hagar. First she is pressed into service as surrogate mom by her mistress. When she gets pregnant, Sarah is so cruel to her (after she senses Hagar now despises her for her [Sarah's] inability to get pregnant) that Hagar flees to the wilderness. There an angel finds her and tells her to return to Sarah. She does and births Ishmael.

Now, about 16 years later,* at the party to celebrate Isaac's weaning, Sarah catches sight of teenage Ishmael "scoffing" (Genesis 21:9; Galatians 4:29 says that Ishmael "persecuted" Isaac). And Sarah insists that Hagar and Ishmael must go.

An aggrieved Abraham sends Hagar away and again she's with her son, abandoned in the wilderness. But no, she's not abandoned. For again an angel of God comes to her, points her to water and promises a future for her son. (And he does live a long life of 137 years - Genesis 25:17).

There are other instances of God making special provision for single parent families.

• He provides for the widow of Zarephath and her son by sending Elijah to them. During his stay the oil and flour for bread never run out  - 1 Kings 17:8-16. Later when her son dies, Elijah restores him to life - 1 Kings 17:17-22.

• Another widow avoids her sons becoming slaves of the person she owes money to when Elisha performs the miracle of the oil that keeps on pouring till all containers are full - 2 Kings 4:1-7.

• Jesus restores a widow's son to her - Luke 17:12-16.

• God promises to take the place of the absent spouse: "For your Maker is your husband, The Lord of hosts is His name" - Isaiah 54:5 (also Hosea 2:19,20).

• He will help parent the fatherless child: "You are the helper of the fatherless" - Psalm 10:14 (also Psalm 68:5 and Psalm 146:9).

What a comfort to know that God has a special compassion for single parents and their kids. If that includes you, claim and live in that. For those of us who aren't single parents, let's do all we can to be God's caring hands and feet to them and their children.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for Your care for those single parents needing help with their children. Help me to have empathy and an alertness to help them. Please be with widows and divorced and abandoned wives in a special way for all they must face, whatever stage they are at in life. Amen. 

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 6

The Bible Project VIDEO: Exodus 12-50 (Torah Series)



*"16 years later" because Moses was 86 years old when Ishmael was born (Genesis 16:16). He was 100 years old when Isaac was born (Genesis 21:5). This party was for Isaac's weaning, which would have happened when Isaac was about two or three years of age.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Thanks for reading! This year we are using The Bible Project "Timeless Reading Plan" to read through the Bible in 2018. If you'd like to read along in your own Bible, you can download a pdf of the reading plan HERE.

An evil mother's influence

Herodias and her daughter - Artist unknown

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Matthew 14:1-12

TO CHEW ON: "So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, 'Give me John the Baptist's head on a platter.'" Matthew 14:8


If a closet full of new gowns, a shiny chariot, or spirited horse popped into Herodias' daughter's head when Herod said she could have whatever she wanted, they would never materialize. For her mother told her to ask for John the Baptist's head and the girl listened to her mother!

Eeeuw!  I wonder what that did for the girl's ability to sleep without nightmares. I wonder what kind of woman she grew up to become.

Like wives have the power to influence a husband spiritually, so mothers (and fathers) influence their children. Some examples from the Bible:

• Moses' mother Jochebed must have influenced Miriam well, for Miriam was the one who suggested to Pharaoh's daughter that she get Jochebed as a nurse for baby Moses.

• Samuel's instant obedience when he heard who he thought was Eli call his name was, I would suggest, the result of early training by Hannah.

• Of Ahaziah the king of Samaria and the son of Ahab and Jezebel it was said, "He did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother - 1 Kings 22:52.

• Timothy, who became Paul's assistant, had a grandmother and mother to thank for launching him on the path of faith - 1 Timothy 1:5.

Let's take seriously our power to influence our children. Let's face the fact that our requests of them, our actions, and example will bear fruit. If we ask our kids to tell the person on the phone we're not home when we are, if we sample food in the grocery store without paying, if we gossip behind peoples' backs, or whatever, we're telling our kids it's okay to lie, steal, slander…

The classic advice in Proverbs bears out a parent's or caregiver's life-long influence:

"Train up a child in the way he should go
And when he is old he will not depart from it." - Proverbs 22:6

PRAYER: Dear God, help us as parents and grandparents to be aware that we are being watched, listened to, and copied; that our influence can change the course of a life. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The spiritually alert parent

Image: Pixabay

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Genesis 37:1-20

TO CHEW ON: “And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind.” Genesis 37:11

Jacob made more than one mistake as a parent. A glaring one was to show preference for Joseph over his other sons. It caused envy and jealousy among the siblings.

Joseph’s brash boasting about his dreams didn’t help. When he told his brothers about their wheat sheaves bowing down to his, they came to hate him. After a second dream, which he told his brothers and his father, even his doting dad rebuked him. But then Jacob did something right. He “…kept the matter in mind.”

This reminds me of Mary, mother of Jesus and her reaction to the unusual happenings around Jesus’ birth when she “Kept all these things and pondered them in her heart” - Luke 2:19.  Again when she saw his obvious giftedness in understanding and expressing spiritual truths at twelve, she “kept all these things in her heart” - Luke 2:51.

As parents and grandparents, one of the things we want most for our offspring is that they find their purpose in life. One of the ways we do that is to watch and then keep in our minds and hearts what we see of their gifts, strengths and weaknesses, and how God is at work in them. I believe this also involves praying into and over these things as we think about how to give them direction.

In his inspiring book Transforming Children Into Spiritual Champions, George Barna shares this bit of advice on how we give such direction.

“What can you do to help the youngsters with whom you have contact discover God’s purpose for their lives? As you explore their personality, spiritual gifts, passion, intellectual capacity, physical abilities, character traits and resonance with particular biblical characters and stories, funnel that knowledge toward guiding them to a clear idea of the role that has been reserved for them in God’s army. Encourage them to feel neither arrogant nor disappointed by that role. No calling is better than any other, and if it is God’s calling for them, then it is perfect for them" - George Barna, Transforming Children Into Spiritual Champions, p. 66.

PRAYER: Dear Father help me to be a watcher, to observe and pray into the young lives around me and then encourage them in the dreams you have planted in them. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Morality—taught and caught

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Genesis 20:1-18

TO CHEW ON: “And Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, ‘What have you done to us? How have I offended you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done.’” Genesis 20:9

What horrible thing had Abraham done to the Philistine King Abimelech?

Lied about the state of Sarah, who was his wife and also his half-sister. He told this half-truth because of Sarah’s beauty and his fear that other men, powerful men, would want her and do away with him to get her for themselves.

He had done this previously as well, in Egypt (Genesis 12:10-20).

There’s a sequel to today’s story in Genesis 26:1-11. There we see Isaac doing the exact same thing as his dad—saying Rebekah was his sister when she was really his wife, again to save his own skin. In Isaac’s case it wasn’t even half true, but a total lie.

I am struck by the generational aspect of this. Did Isaac witness Abraham do it? Probably not because it happened before his time. Perhaps his dad told him the stories of these events, glossing over the evil of them? Or maybe Isaac picked up something in his father’s general moral code that was unspoken permission to act in this way—an attitude and other actions that sacrificed honesty on the altar of expediency?

Whatever it was, I think there’s a lesson for us in this. We don’t only teach morality (what’s right and wrong) to our kids, but they also catch our morality from us. They pick it up from our attitudes and the way we act.
 
PRAYER: Dear Father, please help me to live in such a way that I can say to others, don’t just do as I say but also as I do. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Harmonious family relationships

Image: Pixabay

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Ephesians 5:21-6:4

TO CHEW ON: “Wives, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord.” Ephesians 5:22


In marital relationships the fashion has changed. Nowadays if you say the word “submit” when you’re talking about how a wife should relate to her husband, some would have you wash your mouth out with soap. A wife submitting to her husband is considered so yesterday—no, not even yesterday, so archaic!

[The word translated “submit” comes from the Greek hypotasso. It means “to arrange under, subordinate, subject, put in subjection, subject oneself, obey, submit to one’s control; yield to one’s admonition or advice.”] Nothing ambivalent about that!

In fact Paul has something (controversial to modern ears) to say to every member of the family:

Wife: Submit to your husband as to the Lord. Be subject to (same “submit” word)  your own husband in the same way the church is subject to Christ, deferring to him as your head* like the church defers to Christ as its  head (Ephesians 5:22-24).

[*Head: kephale: literal head, where the loss of the head destroys life; metaphorical - anything supreme, chief; of persons: master, lord; of husband in relation to his wife; of Christ, the Lord of the husband and of the church.]

Husband: love your wife like Christ loved the church in a selfless, giving way, to the same extent that you love and care for yourself, working for her well-being, beauty, and purity (Ephesians 5:25-29).

As a couple: leave your parents’ home and become joined and intimate as a new entity - Ephesians 5:31.

 Children: Obey your parents, honor them (which comes with a promise of well-being and longevity) - Ephesians  6:1-3.

Fathers: Don’t provoke [parorigizo - rouse to wrath, provoke, exasperate, anger] your children. Bring them up, and train them to know and obey the the Lord - Ephesians 6:4.

As old-fashioned as this advice may sound, can you imagine our society if everyone lived by it? God’s design for marriage and the family is to reflect His sacrificial love to us and our submission to Him. It might be out of modern favor but I don’t know of any modern model for the family that sounds more harmonious and functional (but difficult to live out in one's own strength).


PRAYER: Dear Father, I need  faith that You know best and Your power to live these things in my imperfect, everyday life. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Of barrenness and large families

Image: Pixabay

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Psalm 113:1-9

TO CHEW ON: "He grants the barren woman a home
Like a joyful mother of children." Psalm 113:9

Where have we heard parts of this psalm before? Out of the lips of once-barren Hannah - 1 Samuel 2:5,8.

Is barrenness (the inability to have children) still an issue today?

I think it is—but in a culture that doesn't value having children (at least not many children) nearly as much as the Hebrews did, it's often a private anguish.

I come from a large family. Even when I was growing up, we were an oddity. For example, people stopped beside us at a traffic light looked to be counting heads in the car. Nowadays with birth control, there's almost a feeling that it's your duty not to have many children.

In God's economy, children are a blessing. The barren women in the Bible are depicted as wistful (2 Kings 4:16), sad (1 Samuel 1:5-7), sometimes even cursed (2 Samuel 6:20-23). And despite our society's ambivalence toward children and large families, there is often deep sorrow in a women who wants a baby but has never conceived or carried one to term.

As Christian women, let's not deny or ignore this God-given drive—even need to mother, in ourselves or others. Three responses come to mind.

• We need to support young mothers (and fathers) especially of those families that are bigger than the North American average. Even in the church they are sometimes the brunt of crude jokes. And life can be pretty overwhelming with four,  five, or six little ones.

• At the same time we need to be sensitive to couples who have few or no children. We have no idea why. They may be living with great sadness. We mustn't add to it by making unfeeling remarks that come out of our assumption this is their choice.

• Finally, we can pray that God will open wombs! Writers throughout the Bible acknowledge that whether we have children or not is in God's department: "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord. The fruit of the womb is a reward" - Psalm 127:3 (see also Genesis 48:9; 1 Samuel 2:21).

PRAYER: Dear Father, please help me to have Your values when it comes to motherhood and children for my own family and for families in my church. Amen.

MORE: Prayer for conception

In her book Praying with Fire, Barbara Billett has a prayer for conception. Here is a snippet, to be prayed by both wife and husband:

"By faith we release the anointing life over my (wife's) ovaries, my husband's (my) sperm and my (wife's) womb, in Jesus Name. We thank You, Lord, that Your Spirit is hovering and bringing forth life to our seed together. We speak life to my (wife's) ovaries to release ova properly and correctly and for the Fallopian tubes and uterus to function correctly, so that conception and implantation occurs perfectly, in the Name of Jesus. Than You, Lord, for making me (my wife) a joyful mother and homemaker. For with God, nothing shall be impossible! Behold I (my wife) am (is) Your handmaiden, Lord, Be it unto me (her) according to Thy Word!" - Barbara Billett, Praying With Fire, pp. 48,49,

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

A parent's prayers

David prays for his child - Artist unknown

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 2 Samuel 12:15b-25

TO CHEW ON: "David therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground." 2 Samuel 12:16

Though Nathan told David the child he had with Bathsheba would die, yet David continued to intercede, fast, and plead for the baby's life until it actually died.

I get that. I'm sure you do too. As parents, we are the ones most invested in the lives brought into the world through us. No one else cares for our kids and grand-kids like we do. Seeing them grow and develop is like opening a package—so this is what God has gifted us with.

Sometimes, along with the pleasant surprises, come some not so pleasant. This child has a physical challenge, that one a learning disability, another has trouble keeping friends. Whatever the issue, we're the constant in their lives—their cheering section, helping them cope, loving them through it all, and praying for them every step of the way.

We're in good company here, joining the ranks of David in our today's reading, and:

• of Abraham and Job who prayed for the spiritual well-being of their children - Genesis 17:18 and Job 1:5.

• of the father who pleaded for his epileptic son - Matthew 17:15.

• of the Greek mother whose persistent requests for her daughter with an unclean spirit moved Jesus to heal her - Mark 7:25-28.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help us to have the faith of these Bible parents to persistently bring my children's and grand-children's illnesses, troubles, challenges, and spiritual well-being to You. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Generation Gap

Generation Gap - Image from xdmag at flickr

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Proverbs 30:7-19

TO CHEW ON: "There is a generation that curses its father,
And does not bless its mother." Proverbs 30:11


Agur, author of Proverbs 30, is a great counter and list-maker. He'd be a wonderful blogger with provocative titles like:
- Two things I want before I die - Proverbs 30:7-9.
- Four things that are never satisfied - Proverbs 30:15-16.
- Four things that mystify me - Proverbs 30:18-19.

… and what we're going to focus on today: "Four things that bug me about young people these days" - Proverbs 30:11-14.

Well, we don't actually know whether Agur was talking about only young people here. He begins each beef with the words, "There is a generation" implying that he's going to be naming a characteristic of people in a certain age range, and the first one seems to apply to people younger than he is.

The four things that annoy him:
1. Their disrespect for parents - Proverbs 30:11.
2. Their self-deception - Proverbs 30:12.
3. Their pride and vaulted opinions about themselves - Proverbs 30:13.
4. Their cruelty and lack of mercy toward the unfortunate - Proverbs 30:14.

Each one of us could probably make up our own list like this. And we might add other titles: Four things that bug me about my parent's generation or old people or young children. Agur only notes these generation gaps but doesn't propose any ways of dealing with them. How do we?

Concerning the gap between children and parents, the Bible has good advice for parents and caregivers:

• Each generation is responsible for the spiritual training of the next one - Deuteronomy 6:7, 20; Proverbs 22:6.

• We are responsible to pray for the next generation - Lamentations 2:19.

• We are to model kindness to our children - Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:21.

• It's a parental duty to control the home and household—not give that control to the kids - 1 Timothy 3:4,12.

• Parents are to correct and discipline their children - Proverbs 3:12; 13:24; 22:15; 23:13.

Another bit of advice that comes to mind as I think of dealing with various types of gaps between myself and others is from Paul in Philippians 2:2-3:

"Fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself."

PRAYER: Dear God, when I recognize gaps of understanding, sympathy, and love between myself and others, please give me Your heart of empathy and love. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

A godly father

Finding the Savior in the Temple - Holman Hunt (1860)

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Luke 2:41-52

TO CHEW ON: "Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions." Luke 2:46

I am the oldest of nine children. It's probably not  surprising that at least once my parents left one of us behind at church (it wasn't me!). Even the mere 10-minute drive back to the place where they knew their child would most certainly be, had its anxieties. So I can imagine searching for a 12-year-old child through the streets and alleys of a vast city!

Despite all the miracles and heavenly portents surrounding Jesus' birth and His divine protection to this point, I'm sure His parents were crazy with worry. They had to keep trusting God just like we do with our children.

When they found Him, Jesus seemed surprised that they had looked for three days and not thought to check the temple. Why wouldn't they know to look for Him in His Father's house? (Perhaps Joseph had the thought—And who am I then, if not your father?)

Then we read that Jesus "went down with them … to Nazareth and was subject to them."

From what we've seen of Joseph (and Mary ) to this point, they probably just carried on being godly parents, which included doing things like:

• Establishing faith and trust in God within their home, like Joshua did - Joshua 24:15.

• Speaking blessing over their children, like Isaac did - Genesis 28:1-5.

• Praying for guidance and direction in how to raise Jesus and His half-siblings, like Manoah prayed about Samson - Judges 13:8.

• Giving godly advice to their kids, like David did to Solomon - 1 Kings 2:1-4.

• Leading the home in godliness, like Cornelius did - Acts 10:2.

I find this insight into Jesus' earthly family reassuring. His parents had to trust God in the day-to-day just like ours did and just like we do. Let's keep doing the godly-home things and encouraging the next generation to maintain those traditions in their homes as well.


PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for the example of Joseph, Jesus' earthly father. Help me to keep trusting you in this season of my parenting/motherhood. Amen.

MORE: The Feast of St. Joseph

Today the church celebrates Joseph in The Feast of St. Joseph.  The liturgy for today begins with this collect:

O God, who from the family of your servant David raised up Joseph to be the guardian of your incarnate Son and the spouse of his virgin mother: Give us grace to imitate his uprightness of life and his obedience to your commands; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

A devotional spirit

"But Mary kept all these things and 

pondered them in her heart" - by Alice Havers

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Luke 2:15-21

TO CHEW ON: "But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart." Luke 2:51

I have always loved this little aside about Mary's reaction to the events of the Christmas story. It makes her seem so human, while directing our attention toward God as we ask with her, what do all these things mean?

Bible writers speak of many women whose hearts are tuned to God. The Thompson Chain Bible lists these examples under the heading: Women - Crowning Qualities - Devotional Spirit. What are some areas of life into which Bible women brought this devotional spirit?

1. Their attitude toward their mates:

• The ideal wife of Proverbs is  "virtuous" - Proverbs 31:10.

• Peter characterizes a godly wife as having a beauty of the heart—"… a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God" - 1 Peter 3:1-6.

2. Their motherhood:

• Hannah prays for a son, makes a promise to God, and keeps it - 1 Samuel 1:15,26.

• Rebekah "inquires of the Lord" when she senses there is something unusual about her pregnancy - Genesis 25:22.

• Mary willingly gives her body to carry Jesus and after He is born, ponders all the unusual phenomenon that accompany His birth - Luke 1:38; 2:19 (our focus verse).

3. Their role as singles:

• Philip's four daughters are single prophetesses - Acts 21:9.

4. Their position as leaders:

• Miriam leads the women of Israel in worship with her tambourine, singing, and dancing - Exodus 15:20.

• Huldah is a prophetess who even the priest consults - 2 Kings 22:14.

• Queen Esther's first thought is to pray and fast before attempting to approach the king - Esther 4:16.

5. Their personal devotion and worship:

• Eighty-four-year-old Anna spends all her time in the temple, fasting and praying - Luke 2:36-37.

• Mary of Bethany sits at Jesus feet to listen to Him teach instead of getting caught up in her sister's fussing and worrying - Luke 10:38-42.

• Jesus' women disciples, follow Him, minister to Him and stick with him to the cross (and beyond) - Mark 15:40.

6. Let's not get the idea, though, that a devotional spirit is seen only in women who listen to teaching, fast, and pray. A devotional spirit can be seen too in Their busyness and business:

• Dorcas is full of very practical good works - Acts 9:36.

• Lydia is a businesswoman, a seller of purple who worships God and "opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul" - Acts 16:14.

• "Leading women" join Paul and Silas in Thessalonica - Acts 17:4.

• Paul asks his readers in Rome to help Phoebe in her business - Romans 16:1.

I love how these women demonstrate a devotional spirit in so many roles and activities of life. Let's bring their attitude of alertness to God into whatever our today brings of meditation, worship and prayer; singleness, marriage and parenting; leading and following; business and crafts; play and leisure.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to be aware of and acknowledge You in every aspect of my life. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Very early training

"Jochebed Returns Moses"
Artist unknown

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Exodus 2:1-25


TO CHEW ON: "Now it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens" - Exodus 2:11

Moses grew up as an adopted son and thus a prince in Pharaoh's household. How did he even know that the Hebrews were his brothers?

I think we can blame—or credit—Jochebed, Moses' mother. As his official hired nurse (Exodus 2:7-9) who may even have raised him in her home ("And the child grew; and she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter...") she had a window of three to five years of undiluted influence. As my Bible's footnotes explain:

"A nurse was a hired woman who breast-fed an infant or helped to raise a child. She usually became a respected member of the household she served. Children were not weaned until they were three to five years of age, which allowed ample time for religious training about God and the Hebrews" - James Carroll Tollett, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 78.

That early training must have made an indelible impression on Moses, willing as he was, when grown, to defend his people to the point of murder (Exodus 2:12).

"Give me a child till he is seven and I will give you the man," is a saying attributed to Francis Xavier, one of the founders of the Jesuits. The effectiveness of early training is used by terrorist organizations when they recruit the young, and by anti-Christian societies when they pass laws against teaching children about God and the Bible.

In our society, where many mothers clamor to have their little ones off their hands ASAP so they can get back to work (and yes, often getting back to work is an economic necessity), we appear to have forgotten this, or are ignoring it, or think that someone other than parents should be giving this early training, or perhaps don't really believe very early training makes that kind of a lifelong imprint. But the Bible is not shy in stating its importance.

• Moses himself instructed it, telling parents and grandparents to tell their offspring about their encounters with God (Deuteronomy 4:9), and to teach them Godly principles in the midst of daily living Deuteronomy 6:7, 11:19, 31:13).

• Solomon promised lifelong results from early training (Proverbs 22:6).

• Jesus commissioned Peter to not only feed the sheep but also the lambs (John 22:15), putting some of the responsibility for early training onto the Christian community.

The apparent impact of Moses' mother's early influence is a lesson to me of the importance of our kids' and grandkids' beginnings. I can't go back and redo the things I didn't do well when I was a young mom. But I can do all in my power of babysitting, helping in the church nursery, buying gifts (like faith-building books and videos), to help my kids and the parents of young children in my church raise their little ones today.


PRAYER: Dear God, help me to understand and acknowledge the importance of a child's early years. Show me where I can help the young moms in my life in this task. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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Family worship

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Jeremiah 7:16-34

TO CHEW ON: "The children gather wood, the fathers kindle fire, and the women knead the dough to make cakes for the queen of heaven, and they pour out drink offerings to other gods, that they may provoke Me to anger." Jeremiah 7:18

The kids gather wood. Dad lights the fire. Mom kneads the dough. The whole family is involved in preparing offering cakes for the "queen of heaven"*

Compare this to the picture Moses draws of the family united in worship of Yahweh. Parents use teachable moments throughout the day to instruct. They surround themselves with reminders of God's laws, wearing them on their persons and writing them on their walls and doorposts (Deuteronomy 6:9).

Both are sweet scenes of family togetherness. But how different the outcomes!

The worship of God will result, Moses promises, in national well-being (Deuteronomy 6:3), and, Joshua promises, prosperity and success (Joshua 1:8). But  for the idol-worshiping families, Jeremiah predicts the Valley of Tophet (a high place where children are sacrificed to Molech - Jeremiah 7:31) becomes the "Valley of Slaughter" and the whole land is desolate - Jeremiah 7:34.

What kind of worship are we modelling for our children? What sorts of pursuits are we involving them in? Are we consumed with things that demonstrate obedience to God and His ways? Things for which God's word promises a blessing and well-being? Or do we live and model preoccupation with other things?

Sure, sports and the arts are worthwhile. Filling our time with Netflix and social media—what else is there? Going on holidays to entertainment meccas—well, everybody does it.

But where is God in this? Do our kids ever find us on our knees? Interrupt us while we're reading our Bibles? Overhear Christian music or Bible teaching coming from our radios and TVs?

No, we don't involve them in preparing sacrifices to idol statues of silver and gold. But could we be dragging them into the worship of other idols—the idols of achievement, glory, entertainment, fun, self-indulgence? And what will be the final chapter of our worship? Well-being or desolation (Jeremiah 7:23, 34)?


PRAYER: Dear God, please show me the idols of my own heart. Help me to model obedient, faithful, passionate worship of You to my children and grandchildren. Amen.

*The "queen of heaven" is probably Ishtar, also known as Ashtaroth and Ashtoreth-Astarte. She was  a Canaanite deity which the Israelites had begun worshiping soon after arriving in Canaan (Judges 2:13; 10:6). Involvement with Ashtoreth was common in the time of Samuel (1 Samuel 7:3,4). Solomon pursued her (1 Kings 11:5; 2 Kings 23:13.

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The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. - Used with permission.

Happy Father's Day!

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Proverbs 30:7-33

TO CHEW ON: "This is a generation that curses its father, and does not bless its mother." Proverbs 30:11

I don't think I can recall a TV show or commercial lately where fathers are honoured. The message is more likely to follow along the lines of a certain brand of credit card promotions, where the dud of a father books a flight on air mile points (to his parents' home or a vacation spot) at an inappropriate time because his inferior credit card company has blocked all the good weeks.

What follows is scenes of the family in full sweaty costume celebrating all the year's holidays in the heat of summer, or on the beach besieged by storms, or the tennis court hassled by swarms of bugs. The camera segues to one of the kids who mutters, "Dad needs to get a *Brand xyz* card," followed by him / her looking at the camera and asking, "What's in your wallet?" They're funny, but they do carry the message: Poor dad. He sure is stupid. But his smart kid isn't.

This attitude is not new. In fact it's as old as Jacob deceiving Isaac to get the blessing of the firstborn (Genesis 27).

There are many ways we can dishonour our fathers (and mothers; the Bible usually talks in terms of both parents):

1. By living lives of disobedience, rebellion, stubbornness and sensuality (Deuteronomy 21:18-21).

2. By showing lack of respect (Deuteronomy 27:16).

3. By taking sides and promoting dissension and quarreling in the family (Micah 7:6).

4. By failing to provide for them when they are in need and we have the means (Mark 7:11).

The Bible teaching is unequivocal in its stand supporting fathers and parents in general.
1. The command to honour parents is one of the ten, and accompanied with the promise of long life (Deuteronomy 5:16).

2. The child who treats parents disrespectfully is living dangerously (Proverbs 30:17).

3. Robbing parents of what is their due puts children in cahoots with the destroyer (Proverbs 28:24).

4. Children betraying parents is one of the unnatural family behaviors that will typify end times (Matthew 10:21; 2 Timothy 3:2).

The application to us cuts many ways.

If you are a father, you will want to live in a way that earns the commanded respect.

If you are the wife of a father, it's important to refrain from undermining your husband to your children by going behind his back with deceitful, underhanded speech or manipulations like Rebekah did.

If you are a child and your father is still living, you can provide for him (time, attention and respect are provisions as well as financial help if he needs it and living support if he is elderly or failing).

Whether your father is dead or alive, you can focus on the good in him, refusing to dwell on the hurtful actions or lacks that may be a part of your memories.

How will you honour your father today?

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for earthly fathers. Thank You for the gift of my dad and his godly example. For those of us who don't have earthly fathers, thank You for promising to be a father to the fatherless. Amen.

MORE: Steve Green sings "Find Us Faithful"

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The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. - Used with permission.

The parent reality

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Proverbs 23:17-25

TO CHEW ON: “Listen to your father who begot you,

And do not despise your mother when she is old.” Proverbs 23:22

A few days ago I watched the story of Tiger Woods on the Biography channel. The documentary was made before his 2009 accident uncovered his double life and was mostly positive. I could not help but be struck by the close relationship he had with his father. The most meaningful part of each win, each tournament no matter how it ended, was the big bear hug he got from his dad when it was over.

Thus the Nike commercial that played on the eve of his return to golf doesn’t offend me (as it did some, not others). It shows a sober, black-and-white image of Tiger looking into the camera while in the background, the voice of his father (deceased May 2006) says, “I want to find out what your thinking was, what your feelings are. And did you learn something?”

The commercial illustrates the strength of the parental bond talked about in our reading today. Our parents have a whole lot of influence on us. Their voices can follow us past the grave. Our yen to please them can be a positive thing - especially if they gave us wise counsel and steered us onto a good path.

Of course when we become parents it cuts the other way. We find ourselves on the giving end, trying to give our kids good direction, rejoicing with them when things go well, hurting with them when they go through tough times.

Whatever else this parent-child relationship is, it is life-impacting. From the moment of birth, you are someone’s child. From the moment you give birth, you are your child’s parent. There is no wiggling out of or resigning from these things.

This relationship is also a God-thing. The Bible is not silent about it. It tells us that mocking our parents, cursing them and generally treating them with contempt are dangerous things to do. Instead we are to honor them (it’s one of the ten commandments), heed them  and thus do them proud . (In this area Tiger seems to be on the right track, at least if the commercial is true to what’s happening in his mind and heart.)

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for inventing the parent-child relationship. Thank You for my parents and children. Thank You for being my Father, and for Jesus who is our example as an ideal son. Amen.

MORE: Brian Doerksen sings  “Faithful Father”

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