When God Speaks

Most of the time, God requires our patience; He slowly unravels a plan and we must remain persistent in seeking out His will for our lives through a daily prayerful existence. At other times, however, God's voice may be heard with a resounding thunder as He swiftly answers a prayer and thrusts open a door. I recently experienced one of those rare and knee-bowing moments. Lately, I have been pondering my role as a mother; more specifically, what God intended my role to be as a mother. So many questions have flooded my thoughts. How am I to protect my children from the ever changing and distorted views of the world? What steps should I take to ensure the success of my children? How can I be sure they are properly trained?

For me, I find the answer to be quite black and white. Proverbs 22:6 says to “train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” I have read different interpretations of this verse, but I take God's word at face value. I believe God gave children to me on a loan basis, as they actually belong to Him. He expects me to love, nurture, train and teach with the wisdom and discernment that He gives so freely when we just ask in earnest. Right? I believe we are artists by nature; in charge of designing and molding the youth of our world. Our children are the clay. You wouldn't loan your most priceless piece of clay to someone and then be okay with them, in most cases a complete stranger, molding and sculpting the clay to their liking. Personally, I want to keep my clay. I want to mold, sculpt and design my clay according to God's explicit instruction. I desire to train up my children in the way they should go. Now, although I am certainly human and incapable of being a mother and teacher by my own strength, God provides everything I need and never a minute too late. He has demonstrated His power over and over again throughout my life; it would be impossible for me to bail on the thought now.
I am full of joy and passion as God reveals yet another section of His tapestry for my life. I am willing to be used by Him in a way so profound I can't possibly articulate it here on this blog. When I pass away from this world, the words I most long to hear are, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — His good, pleasing and perfect will. -Romans 12:2

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of falsehood. - 1 John 4:4