TODAY’S SIGNATURE VERSE ••• Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. (Psalm 127:3 NIV)
PRAISE & PRAYER PROMPT ••• Today is my son’s 22nd birthday. I am still stunned that we’re already at 22. The law has said he’s a man for the last four years, and I know that physically—he looks the part. But how can my baby be an adult?!
My friends have heard me say this… the biggest lie I ever told myself was that when he turned 18, I’d stop worrying about him. I worry more now than I ever did when he was younger. I think I told myself that as a defense mechanism to get through what I called “The Invasion of the Body Snatcher Years.” If you’ve survived the teen years (as a parent, not a teen), you know what I’m talking about—that period of time when they look like your kid and you love them… but you don’t know who they are and you don’t like them very much.
The NIV version of Psalm 127:3 says, “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.” In other words, children are a blessing.
Those who have studied history know that societies haven’t always been kind to children. Even Jesus had to rebuke the disciples for trying to dismiss the children who wanted to see Him (Mark 10:13-16). And today—the value of a child is truly in the eyes of the beholder. Some are well-loved and cared for while some are lavished and spoiled. Others are neglected and abused. And some are simply unwanted and therefore, they are removed before they have a chance to live.
We are all someone’s child. Whether you were loved and cared for… or neglected and abused, you are a child that God has called a blessing. Because no matter who our earthly parents are or what our childhood was like, we have a Heavenly Father who made and created us to be His blessing!
And just as children tend to rebel against our parents, as sinful humans, we rebel against our Father. But like the father in the story of the prodigal, our Heavenly Father is always waiting for us to return to Him (Luke 15:11-32) and prepared to celebrate when we do.
Today, as you pray, pray for a child you know. No matter how old they are or whether they are yours or not… thank God for the blessing of children. And thank Him that despite our sins, He is ready to welcome home any of His children who repents. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you remember that our Heavenly Father values children and calls them a blessing.
SHARING ••• Please feel free to comment or share this blog with others. Also, download a free Bible-In-A-Year Reading Plan when you subscribe to www.MyGraceFullLife.com! ***Unless noted otherwise, all Scripture references are from the ESV translation.
