Mothers and the Gospel

Jesus said,

"Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of ; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their crosss and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." Matthew 10:37-39

"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first." Matthew 19:29-30

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters - yes, even their own life - such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:26-27

I read these verses in college and can remembering explaining them to a friend who had just become a believer and dearly loved her non-Christian family. I told her she wasn't to literally hate her family. On the contrary she was to love them with the sacrificial, servant love of Christ that they might see Him in her. She must be willing to choose Christ over her family if necessary. To follow him whole heartedly no matter what her family may think or do, and even leave her family should Christ call her elsewhere for the sake of the gospel.

I didn't blink an eye. I had a very close relationship with my family but was young and excited to go wherever He might lead. I was the child then, but now I am the parent.

I pray for my kids daily. For their salvation, their spouses, their character, their hearts to love God and serve him wholeheartedly all of their days. And yes, I want them to do great things that impact the Kingdom of God. After all, that is what discipling your kids is all about. Raising godly men and women that we can launch into this world for His glory. I must confess that I read a prayer the other day that shook me up as a mother. It reminded me of the above verses; only now they were not so easy to apply. Here is that prayer taken from Matt Friedeman's book, Discipleship in the Home. (He prays this and similar prayers with his kids)

And Lord, if you've got a tough place in the world and you don't know who you are ever going to get to go there, I've got this feeling that Hannah is going to be ready to go if you want her to be there. You've made her into that kind of girl - brave, bold, willing to go anywhere and do anything for Jesus.

And for that tough place in Eastern Europe that you need someone to sacrifice their life for - Elijah has been given that kind of courage. Just ask him to see what happens.

And Lord, my bet is there is some jungle in South America that needs a young man who will not turn back when the going gets tough. Caleb was a spy in the Old Testament that was worth his mettle - send the boy in this family who is a lot like him.

And for Joshua, my son who was named for one of the greatest leaders of all time... he's got what it takes to be a great leader anywhere you need him in our world. Alaska? China? Kenya? Mexico? Mississippi? Challenge my Joshua to be a leader. I think he's going to be willing to answer your call.

And Lord, for Isaiah and for Zeke, send them, and all my kids, on a great adventure for God. They want a challenge. Lord, an exciting life. Give it to them!

[This prayer] says something about our children, to our children: that they are brave and that their God and their daddy expect them to answer God's call no matter how challenging it may be.

I tried to pray, "God, should you call any of my sons to a difficult, even dangerous place for the sake of the gospel, no matter how far away, prepare my sons' hearts to answer the call and say send me." I literally could barely speak the words as I choked up over the thought of my boys (now 4, 2, and 1 yr) one day moving across the world, rarely seeing them, and possibly even living in danger. It's a lot for a mother's heart. But these questions were heavy on me, "Do I love the gospel more than my children? Do I really trust God with my boys? Do I really believe they belong to him? Am I truly raising them as disciples to one day send out?"

I pray God is gracious with me and helps me daily answer with a wholehearted resounding YES and raise my children in the light of it.