Job Description

There are a lot of things that could be in my job description: Taxi driver, baker, cleaning lady, laundry person, diaper changer, ice cream eater and a lot of other practical stuff. I get so wrapped up in keeping up with that stuff that I overlook the most important part of my job description.

We have two kids that are going to be baptized in August. Of course, we are really happy about the fact that they have chosen to follow Christ as any good Christian parent would be. Some kids seem to have a desire for Christ, the Bible and other spiritual things early and it comes naturally. That's been our experience with our oldest ones. But now we have a different experience. We have a daughter that flat out says she does not believe in God - A heart breaking statement to me. When asked why, she says it is because she doesn't want to die. I can understand that - who wants to die? We've explained to her that everyone must die and that if we trust Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins we'll get to be with Him forever. That has not swayed this young lady's opinion.

So what do we do? Mike is a PASTOR for crying out loud! And honestly I just want to be comforted by hearing her say the right words so I don't have to worry. Too bad that is faulty thinking. I know she will have to work through this. I don't want her to just tell us what we want to hear, I want her to genuinely believe. So I guess I should appreciate the honesty. My temptation is to say oh you do too and move on, but I know we need to openly communicate about this stuff.

I was reminded of something by the speaker at our Village Missions conference. Do you know how God spells success? It's F-A-I-T-H-F-U-L. My job is to be faithful to God and his calling on my life as a parent, wife, pastor's wife and child of God. The results are up to Him.

Now I know my kids are young and they probably don't fully comprehend everything that goes into Salvation yet. But it made me realize something. I spend way too much time worrying and working on the temporal things and way too little time (sometimes NO time) on my knees before the Lord on behalf of my kids and their salvation. And of course that is the most important thing I should be doing - I know that - so why don't I DO IT?

I know that no matter how much Christian stuff we do, God has to work in their hearts. And he's working on mine too and rebuking my screwed up priorities. It's humbling and scary to see the job God has given us to guide our kids spiritual lives. And maybe that is why I don't want to talk or pray about it because it is a lot easier to focus on laundry and getting to baseball practice.

Romans 9:16
It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy.