Of all that we are tempted to fear, the unknown ranks rather highly on almost any one's list. Even the exceptionally wealthy tend to worry - they worry whether someone they trust with their money might undermine them, or whether a mistake made somewhere along the way will bring everything crashing down.
Ultimately, money cannot provide the cure for worry. Indeed, nothing that man can produce, generate, or manipulate can solve the sin of worry.
In recent days, I've found myself wondering what the future will hold for Elizabeth. Will she be a missionary in a country where there is little or no religious freedom? Will she be a scholar who makes a persuasive case for Christianity among non-Christian academicians? Will she be a lawyer who stands on the front lines of protecting Christians who are seeing their First-Amendment rights eroded at a disturbing and quickening pace? Will she be a wife to a devoted, Christian husband one day? Will she be a mother? What will her life be like?
At times, my curiosity regarding the future can leak into worry. For all the positive things that Elizabeth might do, there are equally threatening roads on which she might journey . . . .
What is a father to do?!? The culture seems more depraved than ever; people of the church are tolerating more and more paganism in their daily lives; and no one seems very excited about the gospel. Is it all hopeless? Why shouldn't I worry?!
The reason I should not worry is because God has given us a two-fold plan for marching boldly into the unknown: 1) obedience and 2) faith.
It's that simple. God places the primary responsibility of raising up godly children on the family. In Deuteronomy 6:4-8, we read, "Listen, Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One. Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." My former pastor at Providence, David Horner, put it this way, "the church cannot produce what the family neglects." In other words, you cannot expect a few hours at church every week to compensate for dozens of hours of spiritual neglect inside your home.
So, if I want to raise a godly daughter, I must first obey Him. I must be sure this is a house where Jesus is glorified and His Word is read. To date, Elizabeth has been through Colossians, Philippians, 1 Samuel 1-3, and Mark 1-4.
Secondly, I must trust God. This trust is expressed in two ways. First, I trust that God will not lead me astray with His commands; that when I obey - He is taking me down the right path one step at a time. He is the "light unto my path," but He does not always show me the whole path. Second, I simply have a quiet confidence in the Lord. I can look back and see how he has proven Himself faithful over and over again, and I know that He will fulfill His Word.
So, how do I raise this precious blessing from God? I'm going to take responsibility for training up Elizabeth in the Word, and I'm going to believe God with the intent that He receive all the glory from my parenting and from Elizabeth's life. God, may you be glorified in this house.
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