Daily Devotional April 3, 2023

Barbara sent me the following account from Corrie Ten Boom’s life.  I pray it speaks to you the way it spoke to me.

“Sex,” I was pretty sure, meant whether you were a boy or girl, and “sin” made Tante Jans very angry, but what the two together meant I could not imagine. And so, seated next to Father in the train compartment, I suddenly asked, “Father, what is sexsin?”

He turned to look at me, as he always did when answering a question, but to my surprise he said nothing. At last he stood up, lifted his traveling case from the rack over our heads, and set it on the floor.

“Will you carry it off the train, Corrie?” he said.

I stood up and tugged at it. It was crammed with the watches and spare parts he had purchased that morning.

“It’s too heavy,” I said.

“Yes,” he said. “And it would be a pretty poor father who would ask his little girl to carry such a load. It’s the same way, Corrie, with knowledge. Some knowledge is too heavy for children. When you are older and stronger you can bear it. For now, you must trust me to carry it for you.”

– from The Hiding Place: The Story of Corrie Ten Boom

One of the most important responsibilities of a congregation happens during the baptism of a child.

Each person promises God they will protect and help the parents raise their children in a Christian environment.  That’s a lot easier said than done.

Sadly, because of social media and peer pressure, our children are forced to deal with situations their little minds are unable to effectively process.

The pervasive use of profanity, the glorification of drug and alcohol consumption, the confusion of genders, and the casual understanding of sex for everyone – with everyone, is something our children are exposed to on a regular basis.  When we allow this to happen, we rob them of their innocent childhood and fail to uphold the promise we made to God.  

In trying to protect our children, there will be some who call us judgmental, bigoted, and intolerant hypocrites.  That’s not true.

We don’t answer to the standards of this world.  We answer to the One who created, redeemed, and sustains us.  God expects us to protect these little ones, even if it means risking the ridicule of a world that does not know Him.

In a culture dominated by the Father of Lies, God expects us to help our children stay on the path of truth, love, and joy.  This is what John meant when he wrote these words to Gaius, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” (3 John 4). 

It’s the same with God.

I pray we do a better job in insulating and isolating our children from the profane aspects of this world which they are not prepared to deal with.  It’s up to us.

Prayer:  Dear Gracious Heavenly God, please use me to raise our children in innocence.  Help me model a Christian life in such a way, that when they are old enough, they too can choose to follow you.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

We’ve got a big responsibility.  I pray we are up to the task.

I pray your day is filled with joy and laughter.

Tom Robbins