I remember the moment that I knew we were “in for it.” Our fifth child, only about 12- or 13-months-old at the time, just toddled out of the pantry with a several boxes of pasta. I could see the wheels spinning inside his head. He stacked them neatly on top of one another—perfectly, methodically. Then he climbed upon them, crushing them with his weight, and reached for something on the stove.

The boxes collapsed and he stood there looking, thinking, designing another way to get up there. This was a pretty clever maneuver at that developmental stage, and he’s only gone for broke since then. He has ideas, but no judgment. His deviousness, combined with a high threshold of pain, has brought me to my wits’ end more than once.

Swimming Boy 01

So, it’s with sympathy that I’m replying to an email I received this week, “Do you have any children that just test everything in you?”

There are two things that come to mind, and I’ll begin with the second. Ask someone close to you to point out any blind spots that might be hindering your dealing with this child. Then be humble enough to receive the correction instead of making excuses.

The first thing, though, is to pray for our children. Ask the Lord for His help. (I’m learning!) Tonight we were reading in II Chronicles 16 about how king Asa sought the counsel of others before he sought the Lord. God sent Asa war and disease to turn his heart back to Himself, but instead, he tried to solve his problems through other means. (Why not seek the help of a physician if you are sick, eh?) The trials were blessings– the means that God was using to get his attention and devotion. The lesson is that we ought to ask the Lord for our help. Who knows our children better?

Prayer can be as simple as, “Oh Lord, help me…” We can also pray specifically for our children, asking God to help us guide them into the people He’s set apart for Himself.

• that we and our children would grow in the fear of the Lord (Prov. 16:6).
• that we’d be constantly mindful of the fact that we are aliens and strangers here and all of our circumstances are only temporary (1 Pet. 1:17; 2:11; Jam. 4:13-15).
• that You would enable us to speak Your Word with great boldness (Acts 4:29,30).
• that we would contend for the faith against a license for immorality (Jude 3,4).
• that Christians would be encouraged in heart and united in love (Col. 2:1,2).
• that Christians would never sacrifice truth for the sake of unity (Gal. 2:5-21).
• that our love would increase more and more in knowledge and depth of insight (Phil. 1:9).
• that we would endure hatred and persecution to the end of our lives and so be saved (Mt. 10:22).
• that we would not love our physical lives so much as to shrink from death for the cause of Christ (Rev. 12:11).
• for all those with governmental authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness (1 Tim. 2:1,2).
• that we would not drift away, become lukewarm or neglect such a great salvation (Heb. 2:1-4; Rev. 3:15,16).
• that we would set our hearts and minds on things in Heaven, not on things here on Earth (Col. 3:1-4).
• that the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts would be pleasing to You (Psa. 19:14).
• that we would be both godly and content with our unchangable circumstances (1 Tim. 6:6).
• that we would not be eager for money or deceived by it in any way (1 Tim. 6:10; Mk. 4:19).
• that You would give us neither poverty nor riches, but only our daily bread (Prov. 30:8).
• that You would keep falsehood and lies far from us (Prov. 30:8).
• that our faith would not fail (Lk. 22:32).
• that we would serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling (Psa. 2:11).
• that we would be humble, contrite in spirit and tremble at God’s Word (Isa. 66:2).
• that we would grow in fruitfulness and make the most of every opportunity (Jn. 15:1-8; Eph. 5:15).
• that we’d be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry (Jam. 1:19).
• that we’d keep a tight rein on our tongues, so that we won’t deceive ourselves and make our religion worthless (Jam. 1:26).
• that we’d not fall into temptation (Lk. 22:40).
• that we’d guard our hearts from the anxieties of this life (Prov. 4:23; Lk. 21:34).
• that we would crave God’s Word constantly and have our minds opened to understand it (1 Pet. 2:2; Lk. 24:45).
• that we would consider Jesus, who endured great opposition from the sinful, so we won’t grow weary and lose heart (Heb. 12:3).
• that we would love our enemies, do good to those who hate us, bless those who curse us and pray forgiveness and blessings for those who mistreat us (Lk. 6:27,28).
• that You would deliver us from the evil one and incline our hearts toward Your statutes (Psa. 119:36; Mt. 6:13).
• that You would open up doors for the gospel message and that it would be proclaimed clearly (Col. 4:3,4).
• that You would grant us wisdom, health and deliverance from trouble (2 Chron. 1:10; 3 Jn. 2; Jam. 5:13).
• that we may glorify always the name of the Lord Jesus (2 Thes. 1:12).
• that they eyes of our hearts may be enlightened in order that we may know the hope to which he has called us, the riches of Your glorious inheritance in the saints and Your incomparably great power for us who believe (Eph. 1:18,19).
• that we would be filled with the knowledge of Your will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding (Col. 1:9).
• that we would not fear those who kill our bodies, but instead You who can throw our souls and bodies into Hell (Mt. 10:28).
• that we would never forsake our first love (Rev. 2:4).
• that we’d be faithful until death so that Jesus will give us the crown of life (Rev. 2:10).
• that You would give us the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that we would know Him better (Eph. 1:17).
• that we’d be rooted and established in love (Eph. 3:17).
• that You would strengthen our inner being (Eph. 3:16).
• that You would teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom (Psa. 90:12).
• that You will give us an undivided heart, that we may fear Your name (Ps. 86:11).
• that we’d never be lacking in zeal, but that we’d keep our spiritual fervor serving the Lord (Rom. 12:11).
• that we’d run the race to win first prize (1 Cor. 9:24).
• that we’d throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and run our race with perseverance (Heb. 12:1).
• that we’d never look back now that we’ve put our hands to the plow (Lk. 9:62).

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

~Matthew 6:9-13