God Is My Co-Parent

”I believe that if an angel were to wing his way from earth up to Heaven, and were to say that there was one poor, ragged boy, without father or mother, with no one to care for him and teach him the way of life; and if God were to ask who among them were willing to come down to this earth and live here for fifty years and lead that one to Jesus Christ, every angel in Heaven would volunteer to go. Even Gabriel, who stands in the presence of the Almighty, would say, ‘Let me leave my high and lofty position, and let me have the luxury of leading one soul to Jesus Christ.’ There is no greater honor than to be the instrument in God’s hands of leading one person out of the kingdom of Satan into the glorious light of Heaven.” – Dwight L. Moody

Some of the greatest joys you’ll ever experience on this planet will have to do with your children and some of the greatest challenges and sorrows you’ll ever experience on this planet will have to do with your children. Being a mother, or parent for that matter is both exciting and terrifying, rewarding and draining. Sometimes things seem to fit together nicely and sometimes parenting is utterly confusing. Mothers can feel like they are on an island as they try to give their children the right ingredients, while keeping out all the potentially harmful ingredients and influences. 

Successful parenting is not that complicated, yet is is very difficult to do well. At the end of the day, it involves giving up control to God. To mother well, we need God as a co-parent. God’s plan for mothering was never meant to be one we carry out without Him.

That doesn’t mean moms don’t work at their craft. As a pastor, I cannot count the number of selfless mothers working to be the best parent in the world to their kids. Their kids success and their health and happiness is every mother’s chief concern and chief goals. But they are not on their own. God is the shepherd of the sheep.  God will guide the child. God will help them in difficult times and when facing difficult decisions. God will seek them and keep them from straying.  

I know this to be true because God has done all these things and more for each of as children and as adults. God has been with me long before I knew it or was grateful for the fact. God has brought me back to the right path when I had wandered so far that I could not have found it on my own. God has been working in my life. He gave us our children. God is at work in them to protect them, to guide them, to teach them, just as I am.

We will make mistakes in bringing up our kids. Fortunately, however, we are not asked to do everything perfectly as moms and dads. Our children usually manage to survive our mistakes and failures and turn out better than we have any right to boast about. God will be our co-parent when the children are small and their co-pilot as they begin their journey as an adult. 

Discussion Questions:

1. What prevents you from speaking about God to your children in the course of the day? 
2. Why is it absolutely necessary to talk about God within your family? 
3. How will we know if we are being successful parents?