What does Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness" (Romans 4:3).
For what do you
pray, when praying for your children?
Sometimes the content of prayer for kids is age-dependent,
dealing with the circumstances of their lives at various stages: cutting teeth,
sleeping through the night, physical and emotional development, school
progress, getting along with siblings and friends. And as they get older, the
prayers become more nuanced as life becomes increasingly complex: decisions
around education, career, dating and marriage.
At any age, we can pray for children and grandchildren to
have a greater capacity for spiritual characteristics, those marks of an
increasing Christ-like life; to pray for spiritual features that reflect the
work of the Spirit of God in the child of God.
Paul summarizes: But
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22,23).
Each of these we want to see growing in increasing measure.
But what about faith?
Paul mentions faithfulness, which we
understand to be loyal, dependable and reliable, constant in affection and
allegiance.
But faith is
different: it is confidence, trust and belief in another.
Like many parents or grandparents, I pray that the kids I
love would rapidly grow in love, mercy, humility, and self-discipline.
Author Philip Yancey observes that faith is "believing in advance what will only make sense in reverse".
My prayer for the children I love is future-looking but balanced: to advance in faith commensurate with their maturity – not to grow ahead of it. That’s when kids can get into trouble.
The naivete of children is something that we treasure; but
it also requires vigilant protection. Because kids are naturally too trusting,
those who care for them take up the duty to protect against those unworthy of
their faith; those who seek to exploit and wound.
For that reason, faith is unlike any other spiritual
characteristic. And yet, without faith it
is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).
Therein lies the paradox of faith.
We need to teach children of all ages, that biblical faith is totally dependent on the One who is the Foundation of that faith, the Ground of one’s faith. One can have very little faith; but it’s the God in whom faith is placed that matters for spiritual growth, and to be pleasing to the Lord.
Bible teacher N.T. Wright explains that for some faith can be like a massive, floor-to-ceiling picture window, whereas for others it is a tiny key-hole. But what’s more important than the range of vision is the God who is on the other side.
Takeaway: And so
for our kids and grand-kids, I pray for faith that corresponds with their
maturity, and for the wisdom for faith to be placed in deserving people.
And I pray for a capacity for faith in God that outsizes the
limitations of their normal age-related maturity. That they would paradoxically
have the wisdom to grow exponentially in faith in their Heavenly Father.
But most of all, I pray that our children would be
surrounded in our faith community at Bethel with Christ-followers of all ages
who model for them in real life and real time tangible, actionable faith.
CAT (content, assent and trust) faith. Saving faith. Faith
that receives the righteousness of Christ.
~ this post last appeared March 2017
