Potent Parent Prayers: Watching for blessings

“This is gonna hurt me more than it hurts you.”

Ever heard a parent utter such words? This cringe-inducing statement usually precedes some sort of punishment. Maybe it’s a swat or a spank. It might be a grounding, in which said parent has to stay home and be the enforcer.

Consequences cost.

Perhaps that’s why so many parents seem loathe to enforce them. Punishments can be pricey for everyone – not just the recipient.

I’m pretty sure God is saddened by our suffering, even when we seem to bring it on ourselves. Any caring parent knows this flavor of pain. We naturally want to provide our children with good things, happy times and comfort. We want to protect them from unpleasantness, sorrow, and misfortune.

Only sometimes we can’t.

God says, throughout the Bible, that He desires to bless his children. I wonder how He mourns, when we choose to reject His blessing by chasing after second-bests (or worse). We sure know how that feels, when our kids pursue plans that we know will lead to pain.

God’s love is unconditional. That doesn’t mean we won’t face consequences when we reject Him or His ways. 

“If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land.” (Isaiah 1:19, NIV)

What are the good things of the land? Surely God wants to show us, if we will but belong to Him. Do we dare to ask the same for our children?

Father of fathers, we want to be willing to follow You and obey Your calling. We desire to desire your plan. And we long for our children to long for the same. Draw our hearts and theirs to cling to Your own. We ask in faith and in the name of our wonderful Lord, Your Son Jesus Christ.

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