I love praying with my kids. I am always surprised at what comes out of their mouths. I tried to record them one day praying but they noticed and started to ham it up. But when they pray, especially Miles, it's gets good.
This morning, on our way to school, I asked Miles to pray. A few weeks ago, I told him to only pray for things and use words that he understands. He was praying for "the glory of the Lord to fall down from heaven and into the lives of people over the earth" I don't know if he understood what he was praying. So today, he was praying for the usual, mom, dad, Gavin, Grammy, Aunt Carla, and the baby. The at the end, he snuck in, "Let us be prophets of God today Amen!" So I said, what does that mean? He then started in on some of the prophets and their roles in the bible and what they did for Jesus. Soon after that, we were in a discussion about who was baptized, or "babatized", in the bible.
Then he dropped the bomb. He says well you shouldn't be baptized until you ask Jesus to come live in your heart. I asked him if he had done that. "Of course, a long time ago!"
So here I am now thinking and praying and seeking some counsel on the next step for my 5 year old son. I don't want to assume that he is saved and realize later that he is not, but I also don't want to discourage him from his decision.
Any words of wisdom out there??
I know I'm supposed to know, and I do, but I guess it hits really close to home when it's your own kids.
-G-
Chad Miller
March 10, 2010 at 11:03 am
Heather and I went through the same struggle with Hailey. For us, it came down to how Jesus responded when little children were brought to Him.Mark 10:13 Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. 15 Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” 16 And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.The word for “greatly displeased” refers to anger at His disciples. He was MAD at them for refusing to allow children to come to Him. If our young children express faith in Christ, a desire to turn from their sin, and believe that He conquered sin, death, and the grave, and ask to be baptized, I don’t see how we can refuse them.If they grow up and their walk is not Christ like, that’s where a lot of parents make the big mistake. “Oh Johnny, you’re saved and going to heaven… I know you are because you were baptized when you were 6, but you shouldn’t be doing these things”, even though Johnny is living completely contrary to the Word of God and has zero desire to turn from his sin and sin is THE pattern for his life.God forbid Hailey ever goes down that path, but if she does, I will not give her spiritual confidence in something that turned out to be possibly be false. However, at this point I must take what she says at face value and “suffer her” to come unto Him. I don’t want Jesus angry at me because I felt my daughter was “too young to understand” what she was doing…I believe kids know full well their sin and when Christian parents are teaching them the cure for that sin, we should simply be thankful when they come to that point and continue to disciple them, shepherd them, and pray for their walk throughout the rest of their lives. Time will show if it is genuine or not… but that’s the case with all professions of faith, right? How many time have we seen teens/adults that are either the rocky or thorny soil? All we can do is pray our children are the good soil…