Find time every day to read and pray with your children ... sanctifying and cleansing them “with the washing of water by the word” (Eph. 5:2626That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, (Ephesians 5:26)). As mothers we can plant and we can water, but God “gives the increase” (1 Cor. 3:66I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. (1 Corinthians 3:6)). This is such an important part of parenting to remember! Man’s responsibility and God’s sovereignty come together in the raising of children. All my children are obedient and happy ... what a good parent I must be! But the Lord will not allow us to feel that way. He must have the glory if our children go on for Him.
Nights spent on our knees and meals missed in prayer: Don’t we all wish to “know Him”? Maybe it will be through “the fellowship of His sufferings” (Phil. 3:1010That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; (Philippians 3:10)). How often we ourselves have grieved our Lord Jesus! When we see our children willfully heading down a path that cannot be His choosing, can we feel with our Lord’s heart in His looking on us, His children? Can we, then, know a little of the fellowship of His sufferings?
“Whatso’er He bids you, do it
Though you may not understand;
Yield to Him complete obedience;
Then you’ll see His mighty hand;
Fill the waterpots with water,”
Fill them to the very brim;
He will honor all your trusting—
Leave the miracle to Him!
T. A.
As the above poem so aptly puts it, we have an immense privilege of filling those waterpots with water. And the Lord has His right and His timing in turning it into wine. Then what joy that brings, both to His heart and ours!
A mother