DO NOT (PART 12) – A PARENTAL HEART’S CRY

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad indeed; my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.

Proverbs 23:15-16         

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

NOTE: Will be at sea for the next two weeks and may be off the grid. If I can post, I will. If not, I will begin posting again as soon as I get to where I have connectivity.

God has blessed me in so many ways, too many to ever capture in one writing and so today I will focus on two special blessings He has provided. Their names are Stephanie and Danielle.

Stephanie was first, born more than thirty years ago in my hometown of Brookville, Pennsylvania. Danielle would follow a little less than four years later and will be quick to tell you she is a California girl, born while I was at my first Navy duty assignment in Stockton, California.

The two girls would grow up together through some challenges but never lost their bond with one another, a special bond bore out of a special love, the kind of special love that the best sisters have with one another. We had a lot of great times as they grew up, mostly going out to sports events in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia where we would live for the larger part of their lives at home. It didn’t matter if it was baseball, football, basketball, or soccer, we would love going and cheering on our home teams. Win or lose, it was all good because we were together. And if there were no sports happening outside the home, we would be snuggling together on the couch, watching them on television.

Yes, those were the good old days, days when the girls were home and developing into adulthood. Their childhood, of course, didn’t last forever.

The time came for first Stephanie and then Danielle to leave home and get out into the world on their own. It was a very tough time for me as a parent because I was so close to them but you know they have their own lives to live, their own life stories to write. From that point on, you have dreams for your children, wishes for them to achieve a lot in life whether that might be professional success in a vocation that provides for their needs or educational success that will position them for a vocation that provides for their needs. You have dreams that they might meet a special man who would treat them like the special blessing that they are and be a lifelong friend, having some blessed children of their own to raise and enjoy. You hope they experience good health through their lives and take care of themselves, eating right and exercising regularly to avoid contracting any number of diseases out there that can shorten or hinder our life experience.

I have to admit, I had all of these dreams for my children but they weren’t my number one wish. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that it’s bad to hope for all that I mentioned prior for your children but they pale in comparison to praying that your children will grow up to have a close, intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. For if they do, then their lives will be just what the Lord wants them to be because your kids are living to carry out His will and way. Their actions will be guided by Him. Their words will be directed by Him. Their thoughts will be toward Him.

Jesus said, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life” (John 14:6) and my parental heart’s cry - in the past, present and future – is that all their way will be His way, their concept of truth and truthfulness will be like His, and their life will be a complete reflection of His.

Solomon in the 14th of the thirty Sayings of the Wise had his own parental heart’s cry that I feel matches mine and shows that no matter the period of time, parents always yearn for their children to grow up with the kind of values and discernment that glorifies their Creator and Maker. Look again at these words:

My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad indeed; my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right. Proverbs 23:15-16

Note here that Solomon could have wished for his son to have anything. He could have yearned for him to have success and rule over the kingdom. He could have wished for his son to flourish financially and possess all the riches the world could offer. He could have wished for so much but in the end, he only wished for his son to have the one thing he coveted more than anything and that was wisdom, a wisdom that only comes from a close, personal relationship with the Lord, the author of all wisdom.

Friends, isn’t this what we should all want more than anything for all children of the world today? Shouldn’t every parental heart cry be for their child to be wise and not only speak what is right but to do what is right as well, led to righteous behavior by the Lord who is righteousness in its most perfect sense?

The “do not” caution within this 14th saying is directed at all children:

“Do not” choose to live without wisdom and steal away the gladness and rejoicing from your parents. Instead, live for the Lord and love Him with all your heart and mind and soul and strength, ever seeking His guidance and direction.

For in doing so, you’ll not just be answering your parent’s heart cry but more importantly, you’ll be glorifying and magnifying your Father in heaven, the One who yearns for you to live with Him in righteousness and holiness now and forever.

Stephanie and Danielle, this is my heart’s cry for you. I love you both so very much.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

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