Week 14!

Challenge:
My sweet Selah woke me up at 5 this morning. I sleepily made her a bottle and took her out of the crib. As I sat down in the rocker I thought, "I should change her diaper before I feed her". She had been asleep since 7:30pm and I knew she would go back to bed after this feed and it would be a few more hours until I got her up for the day. Yet, I chose to give her the bottle without changing her. As I was feeding her I began to feel guilty and was worried that her diaper would become so full over the next few hours that urine would get all over her skin, clothes, and crib. I prayed, "Lord, please help Selah's diaper to hold tight until the morning." As the words were coming out of my mouth I felt so selfish. And the Lord very kindly whispered into my heart that I was asking Him to spare Selah any discomfort despite my own selfish decision. It was true. I didn't want to change her diaper because I wanted to go back to bed as quickly as possible.

Sadly, though, I'm sure that self-motivated prayer isn't isolated to that one incident. There are many times that I make choices that are easier for me in the moment and hope that my children aren't the ones who will pay the price. Sure, most of these are very insignificant occasions where the worst that can happen is a wet diaper or not the healthiest lunch, but at the same time, it really showed me my own sinful heart and the limitations I put on the Lord. What is He wanting to do in my own life if I only allowed Him to stretch me? What does He want to spare my children from if only I would go the extra mile? My challenge, this week, is to recognize those times when I want to take a short cut at the expense of my children. Is it over sleep time? Is it taking the time to fix a healthy meal rather than thaw out something easy? Is it so that I can sit in front of the computer instead of reading to my kids? Etc. Recognizing what situations make me prone to selfish short cuts will help me change not only my actions, but my attitudes. Calling on the Lord to grow me and mold me into the parent He wants me to be!

Father God, being a parent is such a gift and I thank You so much for this privilege. One of the many lessons I am learning on this journey is realizing how selfish I can be. I am sorry and I seek Your forgiveness for the times when I give into my flesh. Help me be faithful to Your leading by no longer taking short cuts simply for my own benefit. May I be aware of which situations are easiest for me to put my own desires above the needs of my children so that I can better combat my sinful nature. Please continue to mold me into the parent You have called me to be. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, I pray that my children would be men and women who would seek Your face (Psalm 27:8) every day of their lives. Use their hearts and devotion to You, Lord, to bring about a revival in this land. May they may rise up with other believers and be part of a generation that seeks You (Psalm 24:6) and who sets apart Christ as Lord (1 Peter 3:15). I pray that my children would fear You and serve You with all faithfulness (Joshua 24:14). I'm looking forward to watching You work in and through my children. Thank You, Lord, for loving my children so much. In Your name I pray. Amen.