Are We Raising Daniels...

The Lord is Faithful to bring back to mind
those things that He had once
revealed to me and taught me before.
The Faithful reminder has come along, again,
as thoughts of raising our children for Christ
have been consuming my mind.
The Lord brought to mind recently something I wrote
a few years ago and I went back and re-read it this weekend.
It was a blessing to me and I wanted to share it, again.

Are We Raising Daniels?
{{Repost... originally written Sunday, April 2, 2006}}
This morning in our
Bible lesson,
we read about the
captivity of Judah
to the Babylonians.
We discussed why
they were taken
into captivity,
what it must have
been like, etc...
We mostly focused on
Daniel (Belteshazzar),
Hananiah (Shadrach),
Mishael (Meshach),
and Azariah
(Abed-nego).

I know that I have heard this story
a numerous amount of times,
but the Lord has a wonderful way
of reminding us and teaching us simple,
yet profound truths when we are in His Word...
whether we've read it hundreds of times
or if we've read it for the first time...

All through our lesson,
there were thoughts going through my mind....

~ Daniel and his friends
were taken from their homes, their families,
their familiar surroundings...
all that they knew..... as CHILDREN!

~ Daniel and his friends
had great courage to stand up for righteousness
in the midst of an unrighteous world.

~ Daniel and his friends withstood the strong,
ungodly influence that surrounded them
as children, young men, and as adults.

These facts fascinated me...

How they were ripped from their homes
and godly teachings as children,
yet, even as children, were SO convicted and convinced
that they were willing to do what they knew was right,
without heeding to the persuassion and influence of,
probably, everyone else they knew.

And as they grew,
they remained unfalteringly faithful
to the One, True God....
without shame... without question... without hesitance.

They lived in the ungodly culture and influence
of the Babylonians and, yet, they remained untainted
by the wickedness they lived in.

Those truths got me thinking...
To have such strong, bold, and unapolegetic
virtue and moral courage....
as CHILDREN and then as men...
Where did they learn that from?
Where were they taught it? Their parents??
Then the Lord laid some questions on my heart....

Am I doing all I can
to truly teach and train my children in HIS ways,
to serve and love HIM
with all their heart, body, soul, and mind?

If they were somehow taken
from me as young children,
would they have what is needed
to stay faithful to the One, True God,
despite strong opposition and influence?

If they are never taken,
and simply remain in my care...
will they still have the moral courage
to take a stand in and for righteousness
in an unrighteous and wicked world?

Am I faithfully praying
that what I am teaching them
will surpass head knowledge
and that the LORD will teach them,
using His Word to change their hearts?

Am I doing ALL I can?

Am I consistently FAITHFUL in doing what I can?

Am I raising more Daniels for HIM?

Gulp.....
It's a scary, yet blessed thing
when the Lord puts me in a place
of self-examination and re-evaluation.
When I am brought face to face with the comparisson of
what I HAVE been doing, AM doing,
SHOULD be doing and CAN be doing.

I praise the Lord that He speaks to me
in a still, small voice through His Holy Word.
It is my constant prayer that I will always have
a teachable spirit and humble heart.
And I pray that He will enable me to do
all I CAN do in the raising, training,
and discipling of my precious, precious children
that He has entrusted me with.
I pray that I will raise more 'Daniels' for HIM
and that my children will grow to be...

"... like a tree planted by the rivers of water,
that bringeth forth his fruit in his season;
his leaf also shall not wither;
and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."
~ Psalm 1:3
and
"... be as a tree planted by the waters,
and that spreadeth out her roots by the river,
and shall not see when heat cometh,
but her leaf shall be green;
and shall not be careful in the year of drought,
neither shall cease from yielding fruit."
~ Jeremiah 17:8
And
"That our sons may be as plants
grown up in their youth;
that our daughters may be as corner stones,
polished after the similitude of a palace:"
~ Psalm 144:12

May I be...
"... stedfast, unmoveable,
always abounding in the work of the Lord..."
knowing
"...that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."
~ 1 Corinthians 15:58