I want everything good for my children! There is nothing in their lives that does not concern me. That was important to me from the time they were conceived to their first step. From puberty to joining the workforce, that was of interest to me. From their marriage to getting their own AARP card, that has significance for me.
God has much concern for His children, too. He desires them to live full, productive, set-apart lives. His focus is on His family as His children go about their daily tasks in His kingdom’s work. The Heavenly Father is full of compassion, mercy, grace and kindness toward His children. He desires nothing but the best for His children.
There are some things I would want for my children that would be common to what God would desire for His children:
• A good birth — A child that gets “born good” — born with minimal complications — has a better chance in this life. So, with the heavenly child. The new birth is from above. The Lord provides for our “good birth.”
• Nurture in the family — My children need my nurture to turn out whole. The child of God needs the church — the family of God — to nurture them and ensure their needs are provided on the human level.
• Training — My children learn what they see from me. The child of the kingdom needs to be trained to carry out the words and works of His Father.
• Food, clothing and shelter — I am responsible for a lot of “stuff” with my children. It is an expensive process to do the minimum on food, clothing and shelter with a growing family. It takes hard work and attention. The Lord’s child deserves to have the same attention given to him during this time of growing life.
• Growth — I enjoyed the babble of my young children, but I did want them to make sentences and later communicate in many other ways. They did and are still learning to communicate better. God’s child needs this growth process, too. It’s nice to say “…now I lay me down to sleep…” but the child needs to grow to do and say differently.
• To have purpose — My children got a purpose from me. We talked about goals, boundaries, rules, dreams and processes. God’s child needs to know God’s purpose in his/her life. He needs to be enabled and encouraged to follow that great goal.
• To be like their family — It is uncanny how my children “do” like their family. It’s scary at times. The Christian must be provided opportunity, time and support to act like his Heavenly Father.
• To reproduce — I have hope of grandchildren. My children have told us of their plans. It’s wonderful to experience that process. The child of God must reproduce himself in the Kingdom of God by drawing people to Christ.
I have much concern for my children. There is not one thing in their lives that does not concern me. Praise God, He has no less concern for His children.
— This article was first published in the October 24, 2001 issue.