Delight In Your Children

Delight in your Children

By S. L. Kliever

“Children are a bother!”

“My kids were just hard to raise. I didn’t enjoy it.”

“I didn’t enjoy being pregnant. I was glad when he was born so I could put him down and get a break from him.”

“We decided to only have two.”

“Kids are so expensive. We couldn’t afford any more.”

Have you heard Christians say these things? What does the Bible say?

Psalm 127:3 “Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.”

How many kids people have and how they raise them, that is between them and God. I’m not here to criticize how small or big people’s families are. But what concerns me more is the negative attitude towards children that seems to seep through those statements.  And as a child, I remember there being grown ups that I didn’t much care for, and as I matured, I sensed they didn’t like me either!

 

For a long time now it seems like having children is considered almost a curse. A bother. But if they are a reward, (a blessing) from Him, we as Christians should not have a bad attitude towards family!

 

I believe it’s a heart issue. Satan doesn’t want us to love or delight in our families. As we can see from the world just outside our homes, `family’ is becoming minority. As Christians we need a heart change towards our children. And if we just `can’t’ delight in them, then we need to ask the Lord to give us a change of heart.

Jesus loves children. When He walked this earth, He took time for them. Sat them on His lap and blessed them. “For such is the kingdom of heaven.” If they are so important to our Lord, shouldn’t then be to us too? I sense our ME first culture doesn’t want to take time for children. 

Our Heavenly Father is our example, and this is what He says about His children. “For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.” (Proverbs 3:12) 

The Lord delights in His children! We too should delight in them as well. Does it mean we will have clear sailing, easy days all the time, no problems or trying times? No. It’s hard, we have to discipline; our patience is tried and some times it is just hard to enjoy parenthood. But we should delight in the children the Lord gives us.

 

I’ve been listening to Chuck Swindoll on Biblical Parenting. He preached on this very subject. And as we delight in our kids, loving them for who they are and who the Lord made them to be, and raising them in the bend or personalities that the Lord has given them, directing them in the ways of the Lord, he claims we will see less rebellion and more children walking with the Lord.

And that is what is most important! What is done down here for eternity! Not whether I have the time to do the things I want, or that we have the latest in everything, which requires more time consumed by getting money and things. No our goal should be our children!

Proverbs 29:17 “Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.”

Let us delight in the blessings the Lord has given us! As we correct bad behaviour and nurture our little ones, let us not forget to delight in them as well.

The little ones he gives us to raise, he will also provide the provisions to take care of them. If He blesses you with children, He will always proved ways for us to care for their needs.

Something that was a blessing for me to hear recently was an older woman I know saying that it was an encouragement to her to see the younger generation of women excited and wanting children and bigger families.

Yes children are a heritage from the Lord!

This I think, is the Biblical way.