Monday, January 14, 2019

Tuesday, January 15th: Genesis 31:17-32:12; Matthew 10:24-11:6; Psalm 13:1-6; Proverbs 3:16-18 ~ Jeannine

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Genesis 31:17-32:12; Matthew 10:24-11:6; Psalm 13:1-6; Proverbs 3:16-18

“If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it." Matthew 10:37-39

I find it so interesting how often the words of the New Testament passages fit with what we read in the Old.

This verse stuck out today and it goes along with what Tammy said yesterday. Jesus is all we should be clinging to in this life. And that is not always easy...especially when our hearts were made to love so very deeply. As my children get older and are moving into adulthood I'm finding it so difficult to let go. Some days I know that am clinging onto them. And I'm realizing that maybe I've been so focused on parenting my kids than they've in some ways taken a place in my heart that God should be filling. So I'm praying that God will help me release them and fill the hole that this may leave and then trusting that He has good things in store for my children - that He loves them so much more than I ever can.

I just recently read this article called Sacred Parenting: Perfecting Holiness and really feel this excerpt says what I'm trying to say...

"God may be telling us, Grow in Me every day — in faith, patience, virtue, love, and worship, and let that faith and growth perfume your house and anoint your children."

"Our own spiritual quest must drive our parenting. Unfinished or neglected spiritual business inevitably works its way out through our relationships in a negative fashion. We become more demanding, more controlling, more intolerant, more resentful. Our children cannot quench the God-given spiritual hunger in our souls. When we neglect God, we may ask our parenting to become stand-ins for God — something it was never designed to do."

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year PassageGenesis 32:13-34:31; Matthew 11:7-30; Psalm 14:1-7; Proverbs 3:19-20

1 comment:

Tammy said...

As parents it’s basically our job to work ourselves out of a job! It’s not always easy to let go of our “control” (as though we’re actually in charge!) and trust them to God completely.