Lay Hold

It's so easy to forget that the day that God blesses us with a desire for children, He is calling us into parenthood. That calling, and the importance of it, is taken for granted by so many.  Our culture looks at children and parenting without understanding the deep importance of what it means to parent and disciple.  It has become a selfish-driven desire.  We want children because babies are so sweet, or because our biological clocks are ticking, or because isn't that what married people do?  Parenting is a marathon, and the issues become more complex as the kids get older.  We can never abdicate our God-given roles to teachers, preachers, neighbors and the culture in general. 

I picked up a copy of My Utmost for His Highest this afternoon and was thumbing through it when I came upon the June 28th entry. These words, meant for those called into the ministry, still ring true for any calling from God:

"...when once God has put His call on you, woe be to you if you turn to the right hand or to the left.  We are not here to work for God because we have chosen to do so, but because God has apprehended us.  There is never any thought of - 'Oh, well, I am not fitted for this.' "

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Philippians 3:12