Insights
And These Remain…. Faith, Hope, Love
Faith is defined for us as “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
What happens when our children deny the faith? One of the most difficult conversations to listen to is the heartbreak of parents that have had a child being in rebellion and walk away from God whether it be in lifestyle, deconstruction, or a slow apathy towards a relationship with God. When a child denies faith in God, we are not without hope, faith, or love.
The relationship the Lord has with your child is not based on our works. Can we raise them in the way they should go? Yes. Can we fill them with the knowledge of the Lord? Yes. Can we raise them in a household that is faithful and loving? Yes, we should! Even if we do all the right things, the relationship that our children have with Jesus will always be their own.
Often children who have walked away from faith will return and their faith even stronger and more rooted in the Word. And even more zealous than before! That is our hope. They have to question and define what it means to follow Christ for themselves. Hopefully, you have shared the truth and displayed the way of repentance, redemption and grace.
What to do while we wait?
Pray. Never stop praying for them! I take great hope in Philippians 1:6, “...that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” The Lord is not giving up on them and will continue his work with your child. Remember God loves your child with the most perfect love.
Model. Your relationship with Christ matters. Model what it means to love the Lord with all your heart , with all your mind, with all your strength. Our children are important to us, but the Lord comes first and we are obedient to Him. Let your life reflect what it means to be an authentic disciple of Christ.
Serve. Serve others with joy. Let the joy of the Lord be your strength as you serve the Lord. Serve within a community. Often other believers and how they serve is a great testimony to unbelievers. Be consistent and faithful in meeting together with other believers. They can encourage you and lift your child up in prayer too. I have always been thankful to the men and women who spoke into my own children’s faith when they were not inclined to listen to me.
Share. When we share how God is working, there is a connotation of kindness and not defensiveness or argumentativeness. Taking a stance to share the goodness of God and being willing and open to sharing the Word is a different attitude than wanting to argue and defend certain points. Often active listening and coaching techniques are more useful than lectures and arguments in helping children come to an understanding of the gospel message.
One thing that brings me hope is that the most perfect Father, the good good Father, the wisest Father.. God has children that have rebelled, turned away, rejected,and despised Him yet He hasn’t given up on them. He runs to them as the prodigal father did with open arms. We are not without hope. His love remains and He is faithful.
Leah Rabb
Elementary Education Principal
Logos Preparatory Academy
The Sword of The Spirit
Swords aren’t really something we’re all that familiar with in the year of our Lord, Two-thousand and Twenty-Four. We watch historical epics or fantasy films, we have battles when wrapping paper tubes run dry each holiday season, we visit that odd castle out in Bellville (shout out to Newman’s Bakery)…but we don’t carry a sword around as a means of protection, we don’t (usually) know the craft that goes into producing hardened steel, and we’re not aware of what a sword can do in the hands of a master swords person.
There’s a video bouncing around the internet showing a class learning to use a katana, a Japanese sword. Large, strong students hack at a rack of bamboo with their sword, usually making it through 2-3 shoots before getting stuck. Finally, a master walks up, uses the exact same sword, and cuts cleanly through the entire set-up: seven bamboo shoots spanning about three feet across. The look on the faces of his students is priceless–they realize that they’re missing something in their training in order to use the sword properly and to its fullest potential.
Ephesians 6:17 refers to the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” in the overall discussion of the armor of God. The word of God–the Bible–is a phenomenal tool. Anyone can use it to access the will of God, anyone can read it…but in the hands of a master, truly amazing things can happen. We get to this stage by training, over and over. We listen to the Spirit, the guide God has provided to steer us through this life. We sit at the feet of those who have gone before us, gleaning their wisdom and learning from their experience. Finally, we’re able to use our spiritual sword to cut through the obstacles the world throws in front of us.
Use the armor of God to defend yourself, but don’t forget to play a little offense as well. Time to start your training!
“A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.” Luke 6:40
Jason Henderson
Secondary Education Principal
Logos Preparatory Academy
