I've been listening to more of "The Incomparable Christ" on Revive Our Hearts as I've been on the treadmill. I've backed up and started at the beginning of the series, and yesterday came to the childhood of Jesus. I'd like to share just a portion of it for those of you who have children or grandchildren, whose lives you are steering and shaping. I think it will be an encouragement to you as your own children are growing. We jump into the middle of the discussion, where Nancy Leigh DeMoss is talking about Jesus' childhood years.
"For those of you who are Christian parents seeking to raise children for the glory of God, don’t underestimate the importance, the necessity, and the value of those childhood years. Don’t be trying to get your child to be twelve when he’s three. There’s a process. There’s growth. It takes time and patience. Enjoy the season. Enjoy the moment. Ask God to give you a vision, a sense of purpose for their childhood. That will help you to be intentional as you're parenting, as you realize that the patterns that are established in their childhood, seeds sown in their childhood, will bear fruit in their adulthood.
What your children are doing at the age of two or three and six and eight and ten matters. It matters that they are growing, that you are being intentional in helping to steer and shape their growth in the dependence on the grace of God. Because they are being shaped into the person and the man or the woman they are going to be in adulthood.
As you pray for your children, don’t just pray for their safety and protection. You want that, but also pray and believe God for growth in every area of their lives—from infancy to childhood and into manhood for the glory of God."
The next segment of the series is on the youth of Christ, the transition from childhood to adulthood. Our culture prolongs this period, but it should be filled with intentional maturity. You might want to listen in to both days' discussion.
