Pray With Meનમૂનો

Let the Children Come

When you become a parent, you feel the weight of knowing that you are now responsible for another human being’s physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs. Because we are not just raising people, we are raising eternal beings. We are raising souls.

That can seem a bit intimidating. Aren’t we just trying to get through the day?

I wonder if the Israelites felt the same way after Moses recited the lengthy and detailed law to them. But consider what Moses said at the end:

This command that I give you today is certainly not too difficult or beyond your reach. It is not in heaven so that you have to ask, “Who will go up to heaven, get it for us, and proclaim it to us so that we may follow it?” … But the message is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, so that you may follow it. (Deuteronomy 30:11–12, 14)

In the same way, praying with our children is not some unattainable goal. God is close. He’s there, in the middle of the tantrum and the crying over the skinned knee. He’s right with us when we’re overwhelmed, frustrated, and disappointed.

And the truth is, we are not in control of our children’s faith. God is. No matter what we do, we cannot guarantee any outcomes regarding our kids’ happiness, health, marriage, career, or beliefs.

Our children don’t get to heaven by our sweat and tears; they get there by Jesus’ blood. As parents, we can lay the foundation for prayer when our children are young so they have something to build on as they mature. But all the information we pass on to our children will fall flat if they don’t have a relationship with Christ. Our goal, then, is not for our children to know about Jesus but to know Him.

Matthew 19:13 says, “Children were brought to Jesus.” Notice it doesn’t say who brought these children. It doesn’t matter. What is important is what they did—they brought children to Jesus.

That heavy weight of feeling like it’s all up to us is an unnecessary burden. Jesus is pursuing our children. Jesus is welcoming them. All we have to do is bring them.

God, thank you for pursuing [child’s name]. I will bring [him or her] to You today through my words, actions, and prayers. Amen.