This morning in one of my email devotionals, I read about Josiah. I've always loved the story of Josiah. He became king at the age of 8, tore down all the idols of foreign gods at age 16 (sounds just like the radical move of a 16-year-old!) and was known during his 31-year reign as one of Judah's greatest kings. He did everything he could to bring Judah back to God and His Word....but when he died, things went back to bad - worse even!
I did a little more reading and discovered that when Josiah died, his sons took over the throne. One only ruled 3 months before an Egyptian king overthrew him and put another of Josiah's sons on the throne instead. From what I could tell, that son was little more than a puppet king. Judah pretty much went back to its "pre-Josiah" days and started back up with the idols and pagan practices.
All this got me to thinking about Josiah's sons. Why didn't they have the same strength of character and purpose that Josiah had? Why were they so easily overthrown and used by the enemy? Could it be because they did not have the same personal relationship with God that Josiah had?
That's when my thoughts, of course, traveled to my own two children. I want so much for them, but mostly I want them to know and love the Lord. I want their faith to be stronger than my own...that's when I could almost hear the Lord start talking to my heart.
"How did your faith become strong?"
"Through trials, Lord. You've carried us through so much."
Okay, by now you're probably already ahead of me here. Just a two-line conversation with God, but through it, I learned so much.
I want so much for my children to have a faith that can stand....but I also want so much to protect them from pain, heartache, difficulty, you name it. But those very things are what can cause their faith to grow. I want them to hold on to God for all they are worth, yet I want to hand them so much they have no need of anything else.
As a parent, it's natural to try and save your child from hurt. I ran alongside their bicycle as they learned to ride so that they wouldn't fall....they eventually fell anyway. I helped them study for tests...which they sometimes failed anyway. I warned them of friends that might do them harm or of the dangers of lying - yep, you guessed it. It seemed they had to learn the hard way.
I think what I need is a new mindset. While my heart breaks watching my daughter sit at home on a Friday night with seemingly no friends to hang out with, instead I should see it as a time when she has to rely on God as her friend and comfort. When I see my son struggle with rejection or failure, instead of trying to rescue him I need to see it as God showing Him that only through His strength can he truly become great. Those trials - let's call them what they often are, huge mistakes that my children often make, are something God is allowing in answer to prayer...the prayer that their faith might be greater than my own. I wish they would learn from my mistakes...but my mistakes are what made my faith grow.
I wonder if Josiah protected his children like I WANT to protect my own. The difference is, Josiah was a man of wealth and power. He could MAKE things happen. I often feel like all I can do is sit and WATCH things happen. That's not true...I can watch and PRAY when things happen so that my children can grow strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
I always thought I wanted to be like Josiah; instead, now I think I'd rather be like Timothy's mother and grandmother. Yep, my kids may have a rocky road ahead, but I have confidence that He who began a good work in them will be faithful to complete it...no matter what trials lie ahead.
Wow...God can show you a lot in a minute!
2 Timothy 1:5 (NIV)
5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.
Romans 5 (Message)
