Pulling Weeds

Ephesians 6:4 And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

Its official; July 2012 is the hottest month on record in the 118 years that these records have been kept.  I believe it.  All you need to do is look at my yard and there is no doubt we have had little rain and plenty of hot weather.

I was contemplating after a recent storm how much easier it is to pull weeds when the soil has been softened by a good rain and it occurred to me this is similar to my children’s hearts.  For the record I’m a diehard believer in the doctrines of grace but I know God uses means to reach people and the primary way God desires to reach children is through fathers.

To be obedient to God’s word I’m commanded to bring my children up in the training and admonition of the Lord.  I must, in a sense, pull the weeds of sin out of the hearts of my children. Young children’s hearts represent soft soil.  They have not yet been exposed to as much sin and are much more malleable.  They receive the gospel with all eagerness, whether their soil is good is completely dependent upon God but I’m called to spread the seed and in my analogy to pull the weeds.

But I struggle with this often.  It’s easier to watch the TV than tell them it’s time for us to have our family devotions.  It’s easier to let the weeds grow saying “I’ll get that done tomorrow”.  It’s easier to allow them the subtle sins such as a lack of obedience than correct it immediately.  In effect; I also struggle with pulling my own weeds.

Father’s today pull the weeds of sin from your heart so you can pull the weeds from your children’s hearts, to the glory of God and for love and obedience to Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:5 casting down stronghold, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

Kevin