Passing on Our Heritage - Part 3

Psalm 128:3-4. "Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD."

For the past two weeks, we have been looking at the important topic of passing on our spiritual heritage to our children. The Lord considered this so important that He told the children of Israel to re-enact ordinances and feasts and explain to their children why they were doing it, and the acts of God that brought them about. The Lord also required them to wear written scripture as wrist and head bands. Today, He requires us also to teach our children about Him and share with them what we believe.

We looked at the lives of two godly men and how they handled parenting. From their lives, it is clear that being a believer is not an automatic qualification to make one a good parent (and I say this with all humility). Being a parent that will birth children for God involves a deliberate effort to find out how, and a consistent effort in applying what we learn. It involves time spent with the children; it involves intercession and also spiritual warfare with the forces that battle for the souls of our children.

Here, I would like to mention the special place mothers occupy. While ultimately a man is the spiritual head of his home and will give account before God for how he has led it, the role of the mother as an important team player is often not emphasized enough. Ideally, children spend more of the early (formative) part of their lives with their mothers. They are as such the teachers God has placed for the foundation of the children’s lives. Mothers might not know it but there is grace available for them to do this. It is only by grace from above, because in our own natural strength and with the challenges of the modern world, it would ordinarily be impossible. But the Lord is calling mothers to rise up before childhood slips away and we lose these little hearts that are still soft and tender, that can absorb the faith of their fathers. It is upon these foundations that you will build in the challenging years of adolescence. It is the prayers we pray for them now that will keep drawing them back to God when they mix with all sorts of people later. It is what we teach, backed up by the example we set, that they will remember. And they will remember when our lives radiate the peace that only comes from God.

I challenge women (myself included) to read the part played by the mother of King Lemuel in preparing her son for the responsibilities of the throne in Proverbs 31. In today’s world, women can tap into the grace made available to the virtuous Woman in Proverbs 31, “Strength and honour are her clothing...” It was hard work and she probably had to give up a lot for the physical and spiritual wellbeing of her household but the promise of the Lord in the same verse 25 is: “And she shall rejoice in time to come.” Whatever we give up for our God-given assignment now, we will gain back manifold, later. Heaven said this.

We now look at the last character in our study of parenting;

Jehoiada The Priest; The Case Of Backsliding Children

Jehoiada was married to the daughter of King Ahaziah, who had died. The Queen mother, Athaliah, had killed all the royal children so she herself could be Queen. Jehoiada’s wife had bravely stolen a baby son of the king from among the children that were to be executed. Husband and wife hid the infant for six years. In the seventh year, we are told that Jehoiada strengthened himself and took the captains of hundreds.........and the chief of the fathers of Israel......and the congregation made a covenant with the king in the house of God...The little boy Joash was then made King. His grandmother who tried to stop the coronation was executed. 2 Kings 11:4-16. After all this, Jehoiada made the people consecrate themselves to God. Scripture also tells us in 2 Chronicles 24:2 that ‘..Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest". After the death of the priest, Joash began to listen to evil advice from the princes of Judah. He even went as far as killing the son of Jehoiada, the man who had saved him.  This brings us to the important issue of ‘prodigal children’. What can we do in the case of a child who has been brought up to fear God and yet derails?

Not all cases have to end up like that of Joash. I believe with Spirit-led intercession erring children can be brought back. The Lord has promised that when He saves us, He will save our households. This promise also holds true for children who have never known God. Acts 16:31,33 " And they said, Believe on the LORD Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house”  Acts 2:39 "For the Promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call."

Believing parents can stand upon these promises and move God’s hands on behalf of their children. May the Lord breathe upon our efforts as we bring our children up in Him.

Remain blessed and highly favoured. 
Titi Obishai (MRS)