When children are small, parents do everything for them. It is difficult work. It’s rewarding, of course—but parenting can be overwhelming. It consumes your entire life for a few years. In the beginning, parents have all the AGENCY, that is, parents have control over actions and consequences: everything important in a child’s life is decided and controlled by parents.
Immediately, children take on agency. They begin to make decisions, to do and EFFECT the details of their own lives.
And what’s left for the parents? What do you do when the lessons have ended, when children have graduated, married, moved on? A parent’s role changes from mentor and guide to consultant. You give advice now and then and hope to remain relevant.
But parents will always have power and agency in one area: PRAYER.
“Give my son Solomon a whole heart to keep and to carry out all Your commands, Your decrees, and Your statutes, and to build the temple for which I have made provision” 1 Chronicles 29:19.
David drew up plans for the temple. He set aside 585,000 pounds of gold for its construction. David did all that he could do. But God told him building the temple was a job not for David, but for his son, Solomon. David prepared his son in every way possible. But Solomon would have to live his own life. Solomon would have to build the temple. Solomon would either be faithful to God, or he would not. It was out of David’s hands.
The same is true for my kids—for EVERYONE’S kids: you do all you can to “give them a good sendoff.” But after that, their decisions are out of your hands. There is only one point of action left to a faithful parent: pray.
May we pray faithfully for our children, even after they grow up and begin their own building projects. Will they build for God or for themselves?
Pray God will give them WHOLE HEARTS devoted wholly to Him.
ΑΩ
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