Something wonderful happens when a giraffe is born. It drops about six feet to the ground, stands up, wobbles for about an hour, and then walks behind its mom. No diapers. No learning to crawl. No learning to walk. No potty training. It has arrived, and in one hour it’s ready to go.
Why couldn’t it be that way for the human race? They are virtually helpless until they are 18 years old. Perhaps if there was a six foot drop at birth—
Sue and I raised three children. When they were young we were warned by sincere folk that we should expect them to become rebellious during their teenage years. It didn’t happen. They never brought us a moment of grief, and we believe that that was simply because we adhered to certain guidelines and principles from God’s Word.
These principles are not an absolute guarantee that any child isn’t going to become rebellious and turn his or her back on the things of God. But they worked for us, and it is our earnest prayer that they work for you and those who are most precious to you.
Perfect Timing
I was on a red-eye flight on the way from Los Angeles to Atlanta, Georgia. The man next to me had slept for most of the flight, and I waited for him to wake up so that I could share the gospel with him. I had spoken to him earlier and shared a little about our TV show. I knew that he had studied psychology, and so when he did stir I said, “Hey, Steve. I’ve got a question for you in light of your study of psychology. Kirk Cameron and I often ask this question to people on our TV show. What do you think is on the other side . . . what do you think happens after you die?”
He thought for a moment, then said, “Nothing.” I asked, “Are you an atheist?” He said that he was, so I said, “Could you believe me if I told you that this plane fell together by accident? Its jet engines, windows, seats and wings were not built. They came from nothing and fell together.” He said that he could believe that. This man was a no-brainer, so I decided that I would quickly move from his professed intellect to his conscience, and took him through the Ten Commandments.
After realizing that he had broken four of the Ten Commandments he admitted that if God were to judge him by them, he would end up in Hell. When I asked, “Does that concern you?” he quickly answered that it didn’t. It didn’t concern him at all.
I then told him about a friend of mine who at the age of 20 years was told that he had terminal cancer. His “friends” told him to enjoy his last six months by spending it with prostitutes. He wasn’t interested, because he had something stronger than his sex drive. It was his will to live. A cry came from his heart, “Oh, I don’t want to die!”
By this time the passenger next to him had tuned in, so I pointed to him and said, “God has given you that same will to live.” I looked at the professing atheist and earnestly said, “He has also given you the will to live Steve.” Just then, the plane, which had begun a slow descent, suddenly revved its engines, and in a split second changed to an ascent. This had the terrifying effect of throwing all the passengers into a momentary and nauseating weightlessness. Faces looked alarmed. Many of them shouted out in terror. I looked at Steve and said, “That sure kicked in the will to live.” He looked stunned, and said, “Absolutely!”
The timing was perfect. From that point on, he sat and listened to everything I had to say, and even took one of my books. There are no atheists in an air pocket.
I don't know if God caused that plane to do that, but there comes a time in the life of a Christian where coincidences happen so often, it becomes illogical to use the word. The timing was so perfect, and that's the way God works. His timing is always perfect. He's never late for anything. What may seem to be too late, isn't. Red Seas can be opened, lion's mouths can be shut, and even the dead can be resurrected. Nothing is hopeless, because with God, nothing is impossible. So never panic about the spiritual life of your child. Ask God for his salvation, then thank Him for it. Rest in the Lord. Trust Him. Faith never loses its peace; it even sleeps in a storm.
From, "How to Bring Your Children to Christ and Keep Them There." Available on e-book:
http://www.amazon.com/Bring-Your-Children-Chri—/—/B00AECAF3Q
Also avialable on wwwlivingwaters.com
