By: Elizabeth Haarberg

Trust and Rest

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking this SoundCloud link.

I hear parents talk about how worried they are about their children, and many assume that worry is part of the equation of deeply caring for their children, but God presents another idea.

All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children.
Isaiah 54:13 English Standard Version

“If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”
Matthew 7:11 New International Version

“For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground;
I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.”
Isaiah 44:3 ESV

Our children are amazing and resilient human beings with their own minds and thoughts about the world. Raising children to have confidence in the Lord, not in us as parents, is one of the greatest gifts we can provide them.

“…for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.”
Proverbs 3:26 ESV

Worry is an option but so is trust. Trust takes a level of detaching from control that feels scary at times but ultimately this is the place that our children will change and grow the most. When we trust God to take care of our children, it also releases parents to focus on our own relationship with God, which we may be avoiding. It can be an easier task to worry about our kids’ relationship with God than it is to work on our own connection with Jesus.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV

The bottom line is God has all of us in the palm of his hand. We can rest knowing Jesus is nurturing all of us and attempting to connect with every human on Earth.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado