The End Result

End Result = all of my children (when grown up and with families of their own) faithfully loving and serving the Lord.

I’ve been pondering for weeks the fact that I have no control over the end result and how in the end - when the children are grown - they will make their own decisions about God regardless of me.

But in all my pondering (and angst) I’d forgotten something important: Obedience.

Maybe that makes no sense to you. And honestly I’m not eloquent enough to explain it, but it hit me that the answer to the question is obedience. As in am I willing to do whatever God calls me to do regarding these children and any future children regardless of the end result? Regardless.

It is seems odd and it doesn’t really make any sense, but remembering this one little fact brought peace. It was like God said, Let me worry about the end result. You be obedient. You keep doing what I’ve called you to do. That is your part.

Peace. Amazing.

I’ve been thinking since that I have the same job as a missionary. The missionary goes into the jungle and tells the natives about Christ. Sometimes the natives come to the Lord; sometimes there is more requried... Sometimes the natives kill the missionary, but the missionary's call is one of obedience - to go into the jungle and present the gospel to the natives regardless of the end result. My job is the same. I am not called to save my children. I am simply called to present them with the message that will save them (Christ) and to raise them according to God's Wod.

Maybe if we (parents) thought of ourselves are missionaries to our children it would change the way we parent and the very way we live our lives.

Like a Warm Cup of Coffee has a similar post up.