JOY FILLED PARENTING - 8 (KNOW GOD'S PURPOSE IN YOUR CHILDREN LIFE AND LEAD THEM IN GODLY WAYS)

At one point of time when Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, He delivered them into the hands of Philistines for forty years. God wants to deliver the Israelites from the hands of Philistines. 

At that time there lived a man called Manoah and his wife was barren and had no child. 

The angel of the Lord appeared to her and said, “You are barren and childless, but you are going to become pregnant and give birth to a son. Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean.

You will become pregnant and have a son whose head is never to be touched by a razor because the boy is to be a Nazirite, dedicated to God from the womb. He will take the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines.”- Judges 13:3-5

 

Every detail about how she has to behave during the pregnancy and how they should raise that child was given to her clearly. Once she heard what the angel told, she ran to her husband and told him about everything. 

Manoah never said like, “Ok we will think about this later once the child was born or Ok if God wants us to do that let Him come again and speak to us.” He never said like that. 

But with so much of humbleness and eagerness to know God’s purpose upon his son who is to be born, he prayed a beautiful prayer which was recorded in Judges 13:8

“Then Manoah prayed to the Lord: “Pardon your servant, Lord. I beg you to let the man of God you sent to us come again to teach us how to bring up the boy who is to be born.”

He says, “Lord teach us how to bring up the boy who is to be born.” He wants God to tell him the ways in which he should bring up his son. God heard his prayers and revealed His purpose. 

Then Manoah and his wife made sure that everything was done in accordance to God’s will in Samson’s life. They made sure that Samson’s head was never touched by the razor. Because of that God could fulfill His will in Samson’s life. God worked through Samson’s life and he led Israel for twenty years in the days of Philistines until he revealed everything to a woman.

Once when Samson wants to marry a Philistine girl, his parents objected and asked him why he should go to uncircumcised people to get a wife?

Manoah and his wife tried their level best to lead Samson in a right path giving him good counsel as they knew God’s purpose upon His life. Manoah and his wife were so serious about God’s purpose which was revealed to them and they surrendered themselves to God’s purpose completely.

You asked God for a child and God gave you a child. Do you know what is God’s purpose upon your child’s life? Have you ever waited in God’s presence to know His purpose upon your child?

You know that you have to raise a Godly generation. But then are you taking that seriously or you say to yourself that your child will grow and decide which ways to follow later?

When our parents wanted us to stop watching secular movies, they first stopped watching that. When they wanted us to pray daily, they showed us by their action. They never said that you do anything and I will not interfere. They gave good counselling to us and they showed us the right path and they never exposed us to unwanted things of this world. Now we are blessed and doing God’s work with so much joy and happiness. 

My dear young friend, do not expose your children to filthy things of this world. God has a purpose upon your child’s life and now you have to lead your child in that way. It’s your duty. He has given you a child while so many others are still longing for the blessing. But now you have begun to take things lightly. You are not serious as you were before in raising your child in Godly way. God wants you to change so that your children life will be blessed and you will live without shame. 

Lead your children in Godly ways and righteous path. You will be blessed.

JOY FILLED PARENTING - 7 (DO NOT GET IRRITATED UPON YOUR CHILD)

“Because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires." - James 1:20

Few days back on a particular day I returned home so tired after my work hours. I desperately wanted to sleep. My little daughter always plays for sometime in the bedroom before she sleeps. Everyday my wife sits patiently and tries her best to make her sleep. 

On that day since I was so tired I went to the bed and slept immediately. On my side my daughter was playing and as my wife was also tired she was forcing our daughter to come to her. But my daughter got annoyed and was crying. One side my wife was speaking loudly and other side my daughter was shouting. It disturbed me a lot but yet I could not open my eyes at all. 

This continued for some time and at one point of time I woke up. On that moment I didn’t get any anger but was greatly irritated by the behaviour of my daughter. I was not angry but was irritated and so I stood up with so much of irritation upon my daughter in my heart and said something to myself. 

From the day God has blessed me with my daughter I had never got such irritation but for the first time I got irritated. As I stood up from my bed and took one step, God spoke to me through Holy Spirit in a gentle tough voice. He said, “How you could feel irritated upon the blessing that I gave you through my grace?”

On that day I had not shown my irritation by means of words or action to my little daughter. I felt irritated. That’s it. I stood up and walked with irritation but Holy Spirit told me to ask God’s forgiveness because I had got irritated upon my daughter who is a greatest blessing given by God to me. Holy Spirit continued to speak saying you had got irritated upon God’s blessing which was actually longed by so many people on this world but yet some could not get that blessing. I felt so bad about my behaviour and asked God to forgive me.

My dear young friends, many out there around you is longing for a child. Some are longing for years but yet they could not get one. But God has graciously given you a child and today God wants me to tell you that you should not get irritated upon your child. Your child is a greatest blessing given by God to you and you should not get angry upon His blessing. 

Sometimes your child will disturb your sleep or work or routine. Sometimes your child will take his/her own time to learn and understand things. Sometimes your child will not behave as you expect. You have the right to correct your child if he/she goes in a wrong way but you should not show your anger or irritation upon your child unnecessarily. 

On that night my daughter took some time to sleep. Being a father can I ask her to sleep immediately when she didn’t get sleep? I can’t expect her and force her in that way but yet I got irritated because I felt she was disturbing my sleep. But God strictly told me that I was wrong. 

My dear young friends, raise your child in God’s way and in the way God expect you to raise them. Do not feel irritated at any time because the blessing you have in your hand was given by God to you. Be grateful to God for His blessing and do His will. God will pour out His grace upon you and lead you.

JOY FILLED PARENTING - 6 (DO NOT LET ANYONE DISCOURAGE YOUR LITTLE ONES)

“Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.” – Colossians 3:21

Few weeks before as I was going to have my lunch in a particular place I saw a group of ladies sitting and talking along with a little boy. As I stood near to them for few minutes I heard one of the old ladies telling that little boy that he was taken from a government hospital. She actually meant that he was not born to his actual mother but taken from a government hospital. She was constantly telling him that for fun. It’s not the truth but yet she was repeatedly telling him again and again the same thing. 

When she was speaking I remembered the things happened in my childhood. I have two elder brothers. We heard from our mother that once one of my elder brothers got sick and was taken to the hospital. At that time I was a little baby and the next day as my mother want to see my elder brother she took me to the hospital. 

But as she entered that hospital she felt that if she take me inside I might get some infection and so she had put me in the hospital reception and then ran to the room where my brother was admitted so that the one who was with my elder brother can come out and take care of me. After few minutes I was taken by one of my relative.  

Years passed and in my home I was little different in certain levels compared to my brothers and so they used to say that our mom has picked a wrong baby on that day in that particular hospital.

With this they made a lot of fun at different occasions. Though they are my brothers initially their words had hurt me but whenever they had spoken that my mom used to come and say to me that it was not like what they are saying and you are my son. She made sure that I was not hurt by their words. 

Her comfort and words had really helped me. If she would not have come and told me like that when my brothers made fun of me, I would have got discouraged and I might have gone astray long back. 

I know that my brothers love me and at times we make fun of each other but yet their words had the power to hurt me. What if the same words are spoken to me by my parents or some other relatives like it was spoken to that little boy whom I had seen on the way. 

As a parent you have to make sure that no one words had hurt your child. Particularly your words should never hurt your child. You should not yell at them comparing them with animals or others. You should never say to them that you have a doubt whether they are born to you or not because of their behaviour. 

My dear young parents, do not discourage your children through your words and do not let anyone discourage them by their funny behaviour or words. God be with you and give you His wisdom to raise your children in His way.

JOY FILLED PARENTING - 5 (DO NOT BE A HINDRANCE TO YOUR CHILDREN)

“Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them...” – Matthew 19:14

Few people tried to bring their little children to Jesus for Him to bless them but His disciples rebuked them. Jesus saw that and said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them.”

As parents are we letting our children to go to Jesus by leading them to Him or are we hindering our children?

I knew a servant of God who was living in a particular city. He has a little daughter. There was a popular school in that city and he had all the financial requirements to make his daughter study in that school. The school had a great reputation but yet he admitted his daughter in another school. 

When he was speaking to one of my family members, he told the reason that the school syllabus has internet even for small children and if he had put her in that school she might not get close to Jesus Christ. As a father he feared that his daughter might fall into the sin as she won’t understand the dangers behind that internet. He thought that he should not be a hindrance in her life and so he admitted her in another school where internet and related things will be taught only to those in the teen age. 

Sometimes as parents we have to take decisions that will lead our children to Jesus and not away from Jesus Christ. You should not put your children in a vulnerable place and then feel bad when something happens to your child. The decisions that you take regarding your children is very important for they have an effect in their life. 

On that day the disciples of Jesus blocked the way for the little children to reach Jesus and so Jesus rebuked His disciples. 

Do not let Jesus get angry upon you by being a stumbling block to your children. He has entrusted you a greater responsibility. Make sure in all circumstances that your children grew in the knowledge of God. God will surely give you His grace.