Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Follow-up from yesterday

As I was praying through and trying to live out the practical application of yesterday's challenge, I was challenged even further to take it beyond possessions and finances to the family I call my own. In truth, they are not mine. I am so blessed to be a part of this family and to say they are mine - and God grants me that privilege. But they are all His. In May many mourned with Steven Curtis Chapman and his family as they grieved the loss of their five-year-old daughter Maria. Through the summer here in Monticello an extended church family lost their beloved wife and mother. Several car accidents took the lives of several young people in the community. One month ago today a college friend lost his wife unexpectedly to a sudden illness. At any time, some circumstance, some illness, some incident could separate the members of my family here on earth. I think, though, that the story that challenged me the most was one Doug reminded us of in church Sunday night. It's the story of a Christian woman in Jordan who, upon the death of her husband was taken to court by her husband's Muslim brother. The brother challenged in court that the woman was unfit to raise her two sons because of her faith. He won, and she lost her sons in the wake of losing her husband. I remember another story - and since I don't recall the details, I'll just briefly summarize - of a couple who lost their only son. They thought him dead, but in truth he had been adopted and raised by an enemy, a man who sought to destroy their Christian heritage. Instead, through the witness of this young boy, this man and his family became Christians and the young boy became a powerful evangelist. The expansion of my challenge was to evaluate how I raise my family. Am I concerned with how they act each day - how they do their chores, how they do schoolwork, how they behave toward one another - or am I concerned with ensuring they surrender to the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ? If they surrender to Him, the other things will fall into place. But, if I were to lose my husband or one of my children tomorrow to death, to a challenge of my parenthood, or because of my own departure from this earth, would the result be a powerful work of the hand of God in the midst of grief, or simply a story of tragedy? Would my children allow God to work through them to change a hardened heart? That is how I must raise my children. That is the full extent of yesterday's challenge. Lord, please help me do this in Your strength and according to Your direction! There is no other way.

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