So far in my journey through the Bible, I've read up to 1 Samuel. Joshua and Judges were hard chapters for me to bring to a conclusion. Such sad chapters, but also so true today. They lost focus. Sure in Joshua, they were doing "the Lords work"....casting out the nations, building up their own...but they still lacked something. Easily swayed by other gods, they forgot to build up the next generation everything that Moses had told them not to forget! Then they'd come under hardships...cry out to God (after many many years), He'd save them...then within a matter of years, they'd be right back to doing what got them into the mess in the first place!!!!!
This all got me thinking, we are raising the next generation---the faith that I am instilling in my children today, will probably have some effect on their children and so on and so forth. That's kind of scary when you think about it!!!
Are these boys my at the top of my investment list? What habits am I instilling--idols or a faith in God that moves mountains? Will they look first to God when the going is good, not just when they're in trouble? What is my faith modeling?
Then when I felt like all hope is lost the book of Ruth comes in and glimmers hope! Here is Naomi, a woman who lived her life in such a way that Ruth, even though she was no longer bound to stay with her mother in law, begged to go wherever she went. And through their hardships, they lived this life of honor that God in turn blessed...and through them, blessed us all! Ruth, a foreigner, and Boaz, a descendant of Rahab (the prostitute that helped the spies), gave us the family line of David...which led to Jesus! Imagine that!
As I'm starting 1 Samuel, this is really a pressing issue...when looking at Eli and Samuel, they started off so good, then in the end...their children disobeyed God to such horrid extents that they too fell away from God.
Seems like everything boils down to how we raise our kids, doesn't it? Not something that I want to take lightly and definitely something that needs a lot more attention on my part!!!!!
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7 comments:
Such a great post that really makes you think! I always just adore your insight:)
BTW, that photo...oh so awesome!
Yes your right on what you said , but the thing is don't beat yourself up if you feel your not parenting your well. Every parent has bad days. Remember this whenever you feel low , 'the sun does come up after every night'.
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John you're totally right about the sun coming up :)
As parents, though, there'd have to be something wrong with you if you never had one of those moments of doubt...not that I'm doubting, just wow..what a huge responsibility we have in raising our kiddos!
I don't know why blogger has me down as annonymous...it was Me, Shelly..and I'm logged in under my own name...so whatev Blogger! (Is that happening on all of my comments to your blogs too?!?...stupid blogger)
ok...let's try this again....will I show up as anon?
One of my prayers is godly generations from this house. Oh, I pray.
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