Crowned King

Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind"; and it was so. Gen. 1:25

I was sitting in a waiting room with a lady I knew through my husbands work, talking about church. Knowing they don't attend anywhere or really believe, I was a bit excited to be having this conversation. After I invited them to visit our church, she replied "yes, my husband has been telling me we need to get the kids to church". In times past I would grab hold of that and run with it, excited that someone was coming to church. This time however, I heard in my head; "it will never work!"

 My friend in the waiting room had a sincere but misguided belief that she can give her children something she really doesn't fully believe or deem valuable for herself. We are creatures producing offspring after our own kind so as parents, our children will value what we value and do what we do, not what we say. If we have things alongside of God, altars, if you will, we sacrifice on and try to draw life from, our kids will have them as well. Things like tv entertainment, obsession with our weight/looks,  shopping, relationships, work, projects and busyness in activities.  Then when our kids respond with self-centeredness, greed and rebellion,  we determine that they need "more" God. So we may strive harder to give them more church, more rules and godlier outside influences, only to see it all swallowed up. 

"They sow the wind, And reap the whirlwind. The stalk has no bud; It shall never produce meal. If it should produce, Aliens would swallow it up." Hos 8:7.  

Could it be that aliens swallow up what is received, because we fail to recognize sin in our own life and how it affects our children?  I'm not saying all sin in our children is our fault but I'm simply challenging us to ask God to show us how much of what we dislike in them is an impartation of our sin and wrong heart. 

"For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life." Gal.6:8
1 and 2 Samuel mentions that David was crowned king many times. When he was a child, God anointed him, then the people of Judah did, then all Israel made a covenant and crowned him king. It gives me hope for our lives that we can reclaim some lost ground with Gods help, not one time only (coming to faith) but continually crowning Christ as king in more areas as we grow. Maybe we've kept Him out of our finances, friendships, leisure time and work. But the motivation has to be more than "I'm doing this for my children".  We have to own that ground as our own to see our sons and daughters inherit it and benefit. The bible says "Love The Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength".  There will be enemies to dethrone and ground to reclaim but the victory will be sweet and the reward great.

God, help us to crown You king in more areas and fight the enemies of our hidden life in Christ. The worldliness, idols and wills not broken for You, are all sins that rob us of the life You have. Make us more free so our children can be also. Amen

By Maggie