For I have chosen
him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep
the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will
bring about for Abraham what he has promised him." Gen.18:19
My wife asked me the other day why God picked
Abraham out of all the men of his day to be the one he would call to start off
the nation of Israel and eventually bless the entire world through Jesus
Christ. I didn't have a very good answer but now I do know something else.
God chose Abraham so that he could teach his family the ways of the LORD. Thus
Abraham's primary role was to bring about a godly offspring even in the midst
of a people that worshipped multiple gods and cared little for the One True
God.
Over the years God has not changed His
strategy for ensuring a righteous remnant can still be found. You and me as
parents are his means of ensuring this. Like Abraham He has charged us with the
responsibility of bringing forth godly offspring. Malachi 2:15 says; Has not the LORD made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his.
And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your
spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.
How do we do this?
Children are very impressionable and easy to
teach. By default our children are always learning something that will one day
shape their world view and perceptions of God. Fathers can be deliberate about
teaching their children godliness by reading them bible stories every bedtime.
Mothers can model and explain godly principles to their young ones as they go
about their tasks. Fathers and mothers can pray with their children daily and
indeed make this a family tradition. Will you do this so that God can bless you
just as He promised Abraham?
And the single man or single woman has this
responsibility too. How you may ask?
The single man must know that his times are
not in his hands. It is his responsibility to pray for and seek the hand of a
godly girl with whom he can bring forth a godly offspring. If he has not been
called to celibacy, the longer he dawdles in indecision or self-doubt the more
restless heaven becomes. Similarly the single woman not called to life-long
chastity should diligently and patiently pray for a husband as she prepares
herself to be a worth-while bride and wife.
Finally all, whether single or married must
realise that one of the greatest purposes God keeps us on earth is to seek and
breed spiritual children worthy of the great Name of God>Christ(ian). Biological
children or not, each one of us must have a line on their spiritual C.V.
reading;
Achievements: Raised up a godly offspring at
home/Sunday school/campus/work-place.
How many children, biological or not, yours or
somebody else’s, are you working to bring into the kingdom of God as men and
women who will stand by God?
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