Previously we talked about communicating the goodness and holiness of sexuality to our children and then how we can do that in a holistic Hebrew way. Our last principle is a daily reminder that nothing is impossible for God (Lk 18:27).
In our last post we talked about how God can redeem all things no matter how dark they may seem. And redemption doesn’t just remove the pain but transforms the memory or situation into a source of grace.
But God doesn’t just transform past mistakes – He is working in our present parenting:
Jesus is wisdom incarnate
“…Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom…” (1 Cor 1:24b-25a)
There will be times when as parents we just don’t know what to do. Our human wisdom has run out. But the end of our wisdom is just the beginning of God’s.
One of our children kept getting out of bed at night. They would just come and stand on the landing. So we tried carrying them back to bed several times a night. We tried talking to them about it. Then we tried the getting cross. Then we tried putting a stairgate at their door so they couldn’t come out their room – but they still get out of bed and stood at the barrier until they were so tired. We even tried smacking. None of these methods worked. They would still get up.
My wife and I fell on our knees in prayer before our all wise God, crying out “we don’t know what to do!” I know, I know. We should have asked before. But this was our point of desperation. You could almost hear the Father saying “great! now I can do something”. He gave us revelation. He simply said “leave his door open”.
“I’m sorry? That’s a crazy idea!”
Don’t God’s ideas sometimes seem completely irrational to our way of thinking? Rather like Naaman being told to wash in a dirty river to cure his leprosy (2 Kings:5:10-12). But you know what? We did it. Why? Because we were desperate and had run out of ideas. We admitted that without Him we could do nothing (Jn 15:5) .
So we left the door open and they stayed in bed. The same thing happened the next night and every night after that.
Something so simple, so “foolish” turned out to be the key.
I honestly think that had we not been at that point of desperation we would have dismissed such a thought as something stupid and certainly not of God. We would have simply assumed that God was silent. Perhaps being a desperate parent is a good thing, because it is only then are we able to receive all that God has for our children. After all, He loves them and knows them better than us.
What is it that you are desperate for answers for your child? Cry out to Jesus now – admit that you don’t know and receive His wisdom.
Do you have a story of receiving God’s wisdom for a situation with your children? Share it below to encourage other parents on their journey.
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