Psalm 148:3 Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all you shining stars.
This verse carries me back before the birth of our firstborn. Our nursery theme was sun, moon, and stars, and this verse was situated right over the crib. We were so inexperienced and had such grand plans about our role as parents and what we would teach our children.
Proverbs 24:16 For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.
We still think often about what we are trying to teach our children. Primarily, we want them to know our deep love for them, and, more importantly, the deep love our Savior has for them. We want them to learn to lean into Him and trust Him, even when they are terrified or baffled. We want them to realize that mistakes are an invaluable part of learning, that they will make them, and when they do, they need to dust themselves off, draw closer to Him, look for the lessons, and move forward. We want them to understand that God is love, that He is making a way, even when they can’t yet perceive it, that He is with us, always, even when we can’t feel Him, that we can trust Him with our lives, and that we are His hands and feet in this weary world.
Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
Lord, Thank You for this day and for these precious children. Thank You for Your love and guidance as we love and guide them. Help us all learn and draw closer to You when we make mistakes. Help us, no matter what, to trust You, to lean into You, to shine Your light. Clothe us in Your love, grace, and mercy, and help us to share them with all Your people. Draw us closer. Amen.
Phil 3:13 …one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead….
Have a blessed day.
My faith, my life, my teaching–it's all a work in progress.