“Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
My friend Linda used to pine for living in olden times – like 150 years ago – if she were to be born rich – and she likes the perception that it was so posh – but I am sure it was tough back then – yeah – so not me – I am appreciative of indoor plumbing, grocery stores, potable water, and heat and A/C. I like cars and surely airplane travel, and cushy sneakers and take out food, TV and radio, modern computers and swiffers to clean (if I do). I like sitting here to pursue over the scriptures and re-rethink what should I be doing with my writing – well at the bare minimum I need to get back to printing out the 2 months backlog that I have not yet put in chapters – because even though I like electronic media – I know that paper has and will stand up the test of time – beyond saving tape drives, 5 inch floppies, 3 inch floppies, zip drives, DVDs, thumb drives, and lost google accounts. Paper – someone is going to have to move it – it might make it into a collection somewhere tucked away.
Thus the special little paper that I found while cleaning this week – these pieces of paper are special messages that we lock in our hearts and in our treasure boxes – the treasure that we store best is God’s advice!!!! So, God found me time to clean a backlog of 15 year old kids stuff that I think they might find precious someday and I organized it for myself – was precious to sift through memories. This special little paper was crumbled and folded but priceless in advice – a piece called: “Don’t Feel Sorry for or Fear for Your Kids; Raise Them up to Walk in Faith” – yes the advice here is that God has your kids (just like He has us) specifically placed in this time and place for His Work – for His missions for them – for He knows the plan… One of the best lines in here is “Don’t let your fear steal the greatness God placed in them.” TRUE !!! “Raise Daniels, Davids, Esthers, and Peters!”
In Esther chapters 4 to 6, scripture is telling a story about someone behind the scenes plotting against other people for their own gain, and that the postition that Esther is in gives her the inside scoop and also the ears of the right people, and the hearts of the people who can make a difference – and Esther is able to mobilize a prayer movement – move in God’s protection – and speak the right words at the right time – having to WAIT until it is the right time but don’t be afraid – and she has an encourager – her uncle Mordecai told Esther that she too was in danger and if she remained silent then she too would suffer the same fate as her whole fathers house and be disappeared from history – but God choose her – and God will get His work done (by you or another) – but what if THIS was the opportunity now – “who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” AND THAT IS US TOO – AND OUR KIDS – TEACH THEM TO LISTEN TO GOD AND WHEN TO ACT AND WHAT TO DO…
I am encouraged – and reminded to remind us to keep working – and to share the LOVE of the Lord – in help and in encouragement and in life… PLUS, Giving our children a foundation of faith will help them and the people they interact with. Reminding ourselves that we too were made for a time like this – that will help us ask the Lord to give us the Holy Spirit – not as a hitchhiker but as a travel companion – pick up the Holy Spirit first.
Amen and please read the little paper – which I also found online – by Alex Craven, youth pastor, father of 2.
Don’t Feel Sorry for or Fear for Your Kids; Raise Them up to Walk in Faith (2021 Alex Craven)
Don’t feel sorry for or fear for your kids because the world they are going to grow up in is not what it used to be.
God created them and called them for the exact moment in time that they’re in. Their life wasn’t a coincidence or an accident.
Raise them up to know the power they walk in as children of God.
Train them up in the authority of His Word.
Teach them to walk in faith knowing that God is in control.
Empower them to know they can change the world.
Don’t teach them to be fearful and disheartened by the state of the world but hopeful that they can do something about it.
Every person in all of history has been placed in the time that they were in because of God’s sovereign plan.
He knew Daniel could handle the lions’ den.
He knew David could handle Goliath.
He knew Esther could handle Haman.
He knew Peter could handle persecution.
He knows that your child can handle whatever challenge they face in their life. He created them specifically for it!
Don’t be scared for your children, but be honored that God chose you to parent the generation that is facing the biggest challenges of our lifetime. Rise up to the challenge. Raise Daniels, Davids, Esthers, and Peters!
God isn’t scratching His head wondering what He’s going to do with this mess of a world. He has an army He’s raising up to drive back the darkness and make Him known all over the earth.
Don’t let your fear steal the greatness God placed in them. I know it’s hard to imagine them as anything besides our sweet little babies, and we just want to protect them from anything that could ever be hard on them, but they were born for such a time as this.
Debbie Upper 