Lately, it seems that I have been surrounded by people who don’t want to believe in God – the Creator of our universe. The One who gave His life for me! I don’t understand it, can’t comprehend it. And I find myself deep in sorrow for these people, who just don’t seem to understand that God just wants to love them, to wrap His arms around them, to give them His best!
Some of these people came from a similar background as I have – good, Christian home, Christian school, Bible-believing church. Yet as soon as they became adults, they gave up on Him and decided that He wasn’t worth it. He wasn’t worth giving up the things of this world for a place in eternity with Him.
In my heart, I was beginning to struggle with hopelessness for my children. How could I protect them from choosing the path that so many “good, Christian kids” have taken? Someone posted an article on Facebook showing that the number of Christian teens who have had sex before marriage is almost equal to the number of non-religious teens! I believe the question asked to the parents was, “Is it worth it to take the time to promote abstinence?”
So I propose the same question. If our kids are just going to turn away from our beliefs later in life, is it worth it to teach them biblical principles now? Or are we fighting a losing battle?
It seems that whenever I am struggling with something, that is the exact topic of Pastor’s sermon for the week! Matthew 15:21-28 tells the story of a Canaanite woman whose daughter was demon-possessed. Because she was a Canaanite woman, she was looked down upon by the Jews. Jesus turned her away the first time, but she would not let go of Him. She begged Him a second time, and still He refused her. But she was a mother. And her daughter was in need of a Savior. And so she begged Him a third time. “Then Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.’ And her daughter was healed at that moment” (v. 28).
So is it worth it? I say yes! We parents can’t give up on our kids – whether they are infants, school-age, or adults! We have to keep praying for them, talking to them, ministering to them! It’s worth it to start the day with prayer and Bible time. It’s worth it to answer your child’s difficult questions about God. It’s worth it to take them to church and immerse them in the Word of God. It’s worth it to help them pray at night before they go to bed! It’s worth it to cry tears when they’ve lost their way and to rejoice when they return home again! It’s worth it because our children’s lives are going to matter for eternity, so we have to tell them the truths of God’s Word!
Don’t give up! The war isn’t over yet, and we have a hard battle to fight! Unfortunately, our children are the ones who are under attack, and we have to deflect Satan’s fiery darts from them.
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:12).
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