In my mind, the ultimate failure would be to raise three kids who choose not to serve or love God. It hit me tonight that that could happen. I see signs of spiritual life in my kids. Mainly, I see it in my two youngest kids. My oldest son is who I am concerned about. It is discouraging to me right now that he sometimes has a bad attitude about church. In particular, he has an attitude about children's choir. I don't understand why he can't just enjoy it and do his best. Why does he have to make an issue out of it?
But, that isn't really what concerns me....it's the thought of him not choosing to follow Christ. Please pray that God would begin working in his heart and life. His name is Nathan.
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Of course I will pray for Nathan. I already do and will continue to do so. Know that I will do whatever I can to help you and him, not only as his minister, but more importantly as a friend.
I'll pray for Nathan, but I disagree with you. The ultimate failure? It would be painful, and difficult, and tragic to have a child reject God, but to say it is the ultimate failure puts a lot of responsibility on us as parents that isn't ours. We can show them Christ, love them, pray for them, take them to church, but the final decision is still theirs. I understand where you are coming from, but having a child reject God doesn't reflect on how good a parent you are (were). And you are right, it could happen. But the hardest thing for a parent isn't that your child (at the moment) has rejected God but that you can do so little about it. Besides, it may be that he isn't rejecting God as much as he is rejecting children's choir which, trust me, for some guys isn't "cool." I don't know what else Nathan is going through, but the ultimate failure of a parent is to stop praying for your child.
His peace on you.
B~
Thanks friends. So, I was up all night with the big thunderstorm and my youngest throwing up and I had some time to think on my concerns. I did come to the conclusion that I can't make it all my responsibility...as Bruce so eloquently explained.
I talked with Nathan some more about it and he said "I like church, I just don't like choir"...his words last night were "I hate choir"....so I think I need to be careful that I don't generalize too much about his lack of interest. He is a good kid...he has been through a lot...and yes, the hardest thing is that as a parent I don't get to make the important decision for him....I can keep praying...and maybe that is the best thing that can come out of my concerns...to make sure I pray for my kids every single day....that God would work in their heart and life....
Thanks Bruce...I heard Brian in your post...he was always good about bringing me back down to earth when I connected things together that weren't necessarily connected...
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