Seek First: Pushing into the Reality of God
For those of you who have just dropped by, I’m digging for treasure in God’s Word this month. Matthew 6:33 promises, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” I think that “all these things” includes the treasures I’m seeking in the diaper pail –the jewels of joy, nuggets of wisdom and pearls of peace–but before I seek the gems, I must seek the Giver of good gifts (James 1:17). I’d be honored if you’d join me!
Seek First: Pushing into the Reality of God
Today’s Treasure: Read Esther 2:16-20; 3:12-14;
The heroine in the book of Esther is a woman of great courage. But equally courageous is the parent figure in this familiar Bible story. Mordecai, Esther’s older cousin, stepped in as a parent when Esther’s family died. Having raised Esther into adulthood, Mordecai had undoubtedly developed a “father’s heart” for his young ward. However, when crises came, Mordecai did not respond with fear, but with faith. While he could have just advised Esther to “run” or to “hide,” Mordecai looked at a tough situation from an eternal perspective.
He was well aware that if Esther’s plan to save her people backfired, she could lose her life at the hand of the king. Still, Mordecai encouraged her to use her privileged position for the good of others rather than merely for herself.. With no proof that Esther’s request would change the tide of Jewish history, Mordecai chose to trust God to accomplish what was impossible in human terms. At no point in the story does Mordecai falter in his decision to trust God with Esther’s life. Instead of complaining about circumstances beyond his control, this faithful parent stormed God’s throne with prayer and fasting on behalf of his beloved child (Esther 4:15-17).
One of the most difficult parts of surrendering our children into God’s hands is LEAVING THEM THERE when life is not going as planned. If we tell God we trust Him with our children’s unique purpose; then interfere with his work, we will sacrifice the peace that comes with true surrender.
The Great Baptist preacher Charles Spurgeon writes, “If a watchman were hired to guard my house, I would be foolish if I also sat up for fear of thieves. Why have a watch-man if I cannot trust him to watch? ‘Cast thy burden upon the Lord’ (Ps 55:22), but when you have done so, leave it with the Lord and do not try to carry it yourself. Otherwise, you mock God; you use the name of God, but not the reality of God. Lay down every care, even as Jesus did when He went calmly to the rear part of the ship, quietly took a pillow, and went to sleep (see Matthew 8:24-27 Joy in Christ’s Presence 149).
In response, Gary Thomas suggests, “Perhaps God gave us children in part to make our faith more real, to keep us from settling for merely naming God rather than pushing into the reality of God” (Sacred Parenting 36).
Parent’s Pondering: Am I facing a current parenting challenge that may be an invitation to “push into the reality of God”? Confess your specific parenting anxieties to the Lord, and then CHOOSE to leave your children in the hands of God.
