It Wasn't Your Children

"Remember today that your children were not the ones who saw and experienced the discipline of the LORD your God: His majesty, His mighty hand, His outstretched arm; the signs He performed and the things He did in the heart of Egypt...what He did to the Egyptian army...and what He did to Dathan and Abiram. But it was your own eyes that saw all these great things the LORD has done." Deuteronomy 11:2-7 (m/l)

I was reading this passage a few mornings ago and realized something profound yet obvious, and discovered a new way to pray for my kids.

Moses' charge to the Israelites as they edged closer to entering the Land of Promise was, among other things, to remember the deeds of the LORD and to pass on their eyewitness testimony to their children.

Now, I've always realized the importance of talking openly to my kids about God: who He is and how He works. However, I've never thought to pray that they would see and experience the discipline of the LORD, as this Scripture says.

My kids, after all, haven't tried and tested Him like I have. Hearing that His mercies are new every morning means something entirely different to them than it does for me! I pray that they will one day know how true this is in a deep and meaningful way.

I pray that, sooner rather than later, they would witness the LORD's mighty hand, outstretched to save them; that they would have experiences of the LORD's might that they can treasure and stash away for darker days. Or, like Spurgeon said, that they will be able to "arise, go to the river of [their] experience, and pull up a few bulrushes, and plait them into an ark (basket) wherein [their] infant faith may float safely on the stream."

I pray that my sons would learn from the negative examples of others, such as happened with Dathan and Abiram who rebelled against God's authority and met a pretty horrific end. It would be best if we could all learn from the examples of others, however, I will not be naive and be appalled when my sons become entangled (God forbid) in sin. How could I, when I know how deep my own wickedness runs? One thing I can be sure of is the discipline of the LORD. I know that His discipline is as faithful as His tender mercy. In fact, the two go hand in hand.

So I will now be adding a new facet to my prayer regimen for my boys: Father, may each one soon see and experience Your discipline, Your mighty hand and outstretched arm, Your victory over vicious enemies. May they accumulate a wealth of experiences with You that affirm Your faithfulness to them.