Wisdom, a product of having been disciplined?

Father, we all truly want our children to obey your law and to avoid being unduly influenced by kids who do not know You or at least their habits seem to indicate that they do not have a strong relationship with You. We prefer our children be witnesses of Your love, not victims of poor choices, often promulgated by others. Give our children discernment and the courage to be different, we pray.

The innocence of a child…can it be sustained?

Even though childhood and youth may be “vanity”, during these wonderful years when their smiles melt our hearts and their innocence charms us, prepare their hearts to serve You and to trust You in all things.

An innocent child…the perfect example of faith.

When we observe the purity and innocence of a child, You tell us that these children and their innocence are a representation of persons who will inhabit Your kingdom. How, Jesus, can we ever achieve that kind of innocence? The answer comes from You. “I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.”

Just how important is a child to God?

Jesus, You teach us that there is a domino effect in our relationships. As we receive one of Your children, it as though we were receiving You and when we receive You it as though we received the Father. We know, from other teachings You have given us, that if we do not receive Your children we are rejecting You. What a vital lesson Jesus. Loving others is how we show our love for You.

How can little mistakes here cost us eternity?

Help us O’ God to fulfill Your expectations and to use each day to Your glory. Life is truly finite; we see the end approaching quickly for ourselves or for others and we realize that our opportunities to serve You and others, on this earth, will be gone.

Are we required to teach God’s word to our kids?

We know that this kind of love should definitely result in our sharing it with our children, when we teach them, pray with them and speak of You and when we rise up and when we lie down. You expect us to make Your presence a constant reality in the lives of our children.

So, how dangerous, in the eyes of God, is it to offend a child?

Jesus, Your love and protection of our children could not be made more clear. You have assigned an angel to each one and that angel comes from the presence of the Father, to comfort and counsel every child. We know from experience, Jesus, that our children are imperfect. But, it is not their perfect behavior that protects them; they reside in Your righteousness.

My brother is a sinner. How can we be equal before God?

Jesus, this sentence, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.” clarifies for us an important principle that You have taught us many times. It is how we finish that counts, whether we are the lifelong loyal child or the one who sinned greatly and finally came back to You. The reward for committing our lives to You is the same whether we serve long or briefly. Just as a small pile of sins does not make us more worthy, neither does a large pile of sins make us less worthy.