“He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything?” (Romans 8:32)
Oh, what a gift was that! Mothers, could you give your sons? Well, yes, perhaps you might for your country, but you could not for your enemies. But God, the cheerful giver, spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all. And since then what a cheerful giver he has been! He has given without our asking. We did not ask him to make the covenant of grace. We did not ask him to elect us. We did not ask him to redeem us. These things were done before we were born. We did not ask him to call us by his grace, for we did not know the value of that call, and we were dead in trespasses and sins, but he gave to us freely of his unsought, but boundless love.
Grace came to us, outrunning all our desires, and all our wills, and all our prayers. He first made us pray; he gave us the spirit of supplication, or else we would have never prayed. He gave us the will to come to him, or else we should have remained far off. He was a cheerful giver to us, then. And when we went to him with broken hearts, how cheerfully did he give us pardon! How did he run and have compassion upon us, and fall upon our neck and kiss us! How cheerfully did he bring us to the banquet with music and with dancing, because his son that was dead was alive again, and he that was lost was found!
Parents, Are We Wasting Our Lives?
Some parents are tempted towards frustration with their children, specifically because they worry that we will miss out on “real ministry” while they spend time at home. Whether your life is characterized by the monotony of reading Green Eggs and Ham on a loop, the frustration of pre-teen arguments, or anything else, your life is not being wasted.
In 1 Thessalonians 2:19–20, Paul said that his converts were his crown and joy — his greatest achievement. Because of his ministry, these eternal image-bearers would surround the throne of Jesus at his coming. Like the Thessalonians, our children are eternal. They will last forever. And we have the awesome privilege of calling them to trust in Christ.
Inviting your children to trust and treasure Christ does not have to be complicated. It's as simple as reading the Bible to them every day. Over the last two weeks, I hope this devotional has encouraged you to read the Bible to your kids. If you need help to get started, subscribe to God-Centered Family.
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