The following is a personal reflection on parenting from Isaiah 6 after the Chicago Chinese Christian Conference, I hope it is a blessing to you.
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In the 13th year of parenting, of a messy home, of chaos and failures, trials and tears, regrets and broken dreams…in that year, I saw the Lord, seated on the throne, high and lifted up – orderly and with confidence, power and peace, the train of His rob filling the temple.
Glorious Seraphim stood above Him, here!
I fell down in the kitchen, tears upon my face, ruin and woe rushing mightily upon me, the scattered dishes, the messy cloths, the low bank account totals, the day’s earlier anger, the frustration of sinful responses, the grief of missed attempts of grace, the distance between the children and I and the unpracticed truths of the Bible – woe is me! I am crushed and laid low, even to the very door of the grave…
Then one of the Seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar of God with tongs.
And he touched my lips – gently, with heat and love mingled – and with gentle confidence he said, “Behold, Jesus has touched your heart and your iniquity is taken away and your sin – all of it from the past, today and the 1000s of tomorrows – is atoned, paid, redeemed, and made right by cross of Christ, by the alter of the cross from which the precious Jesus did die.”
Then God said, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?”
From the floor looking up into the glorious temple throne of God, I said, “Here I am. Send me!”
And God looked at me and said, “Go back into your home, from front door to basement and tell your children how much I love them, but they will disobey. Show them how much I love them, but you will fail to show them. Teach them how much I love them, but you all will forget. Pray daily for them, but you will fall asleep exhausted. Cook for them and they will complain. Clean up the home and they will make it messy. Read them the Word and they will look at comics. Discipline them and they will turn a stubborn cheek. Teach them school, but they will take it for granted. Bless them, but they will not always return with thanks.
Back in the days of Isaiah, I was going to let their hearts grow hard, but I will have mercy on You – only trust and obey.”
Then I began to see the messy house, the chaotic day, the dirty dishes, the…but instead I asked, “How long, Lord?”
And the Lord said to me, “Be faithful until I have finished my sanctifying work in you, do even when you c an’t seem to see my grace and power at work, do it until your hairs turn gray and eyes are filled with hope, do it past days of despair and seeming hopelessness, do it – be faithful until the end. Lo, I am with you. Do it until all that remains of you is my grace made perfect in weakn ess. Do it until all that remains of you is my wisdom made perfect through foolishness, until I call you to another task, do it faithfully.”
Then I asked, “Why me Lord?”
And God said, “You CAN love BECAUSE I FIRST LOVED YOU.”
Turners at WFI 