'Nature vs Nurture' they say... What if the parents who gave the child his / her nature, and have the responsibility to nurture the child don't do what they are supposed to, or don't know what they are supposed to do? What if the child fails to honor or be grateful or even communicate with the parents? Shall we pray today that our neighbors would have a healthy parent-child relationship?
Bible passage:
Neglectful/ abusive parents: Isaiah 49:15 “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! Psalm 27:10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in. Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.
Parents who fail to discipline/ whose children went astray: Proverbs 13:24 Those who spare the rod of discipline hate their children. Those who love their children care enough to discipline them. Proverbs 23:13 Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die. Judges 18:30 And the people of Dan set up the carved image for themselves, and Jonathan the son of Gershom, son of Moses (*some older translations mention as Manasseh), and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day of the captivity of the land. 1 Samuel 3:13 And I [God] declare to him [Eli] that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. 1 Samuel 8: 1,3 When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice.
Children who don't honor/ obey their parents:
Ephesians 6:1-3 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Deuteronomy 21:20, 21 and they [parents] shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ Then all the men of the city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall purge the evil from your midst, and all Israel shall hear, and fear. 2 Timothy 3:1,2 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy...
Children who aren't grateful for their parents:
Proverbs 23:22 Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old. Proverbs 19:26 He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother is a son who brings shame and reproach. Matthew 15:5,6 But you [Pharisees and Scribes] say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” he need not honor his father.’So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. You hypocrites!
What a privilege we have to call our God, 'Abba Father', yet the earthly father or mother for many children don't represent God, and end up abusing the position of authority God has given them. Many children these days spend more time with television or mobile phone rather than with their parents. It is not too far-fetched for a parent these days to forget their child amidst their career and leisure. With the little time they spend, they don't want to discipline their children and end up pampering them selfishly. If God's servants like Moses, Samuel, and Eli had children who went astray, how could we ever think that we could do a better job without kneeling in prayer for them every day? Shall we also pray for God's restoring touch on every neglected and abused child?
We are in a world that spurns discipline, and glorifies rebellion in a child (look at many of the Disney movies), whereas God's word when it records the wickedness of the last days, takes time to mention disobedient children. When there is a generation gap between people 5 to 10 years apart, it is only through God's grace that a parent-child relationship can be healthy. Let's thank God that our Indian culture and traditions value honoring and being grateful to parents, and pray to see that lived out in our busy urbanized scenario.
Prayer points:
Pray against every form of digital screen (television/ mobile phone) addiction that hinders a healthy parent-child relationship.
Pray against physically, emotionally, or sexually abusive parents, and pray for divine healing of the child. Pray that the child would find a trustable elder to confide in and find help.
Pray that the parents would receive wisdom from above to be able to discipline children, and give them freedom, while they strive to understand the needs of the child which may be different from what they needed when they were young.
Pray that God would lay a bridge of communication and love between estranged parent and child and that there would be reconciliation, forgiveness, understanding, and love.
If you can, try memorizing Isaiah 49:15.
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