Children Last Forever
I took a little walk by a high school campus today. Clearly Autumn has come; the golden brown colors are crowning the trees once again, and a cool afternoon breeze has finally replaced the bearing heat of the Visalia summers.
I prayed a bit as I walked. Sometimes I do that. I wasn't loudly praising God, or interceding for the nations; just letting my thoughts drift towards heaven...listening. Looking. Waiting.
A thought dropped into my spirit, and it seemed to be from above: "Marriage will end in heaven, but children last forever."
I pondered the truth of it. Jesus was clear that the institution of marriage was a temporal one and would cease in the age to come. We would become "like angels" in that sense (Matthew 22:30). But once a child is conceived in the womb, he or she becomes a living spirit with an eternal destiny. Mysteriously, then, a temporary arrangement sets the stage to bring forth an everlasting human soul!
Children are high priority in heaven. One of the most important aspects of marriage is that it can potentially create a safe and godly context to bring kids into the world that have unimaginable value to God. This flies in the face of western culture. We value romance in the most narcissistic way possible, and even Christian marriage can become an excuse to find life and identity in someone of the opposite sex and have your essential needs met in an "acceptable" way.
In the book of Malachi, God shares His views on marriage: "But did He not make them one, having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring." (Malachi 2:15)
Some of the books on relationships that I see in the Christian book stores might read like thus: "And why did God make them one in marriage? So they could learn how to make one another happy for the rest of their lives." The Bible is much more "children-friendly" than we are. God says that He is seeking godly offspring, and He is matching girls with guys to bring this about!
I believe God had you in mind before your Mom and Dad ever got together. Even if the circumstances of your birth weren't "ideal," God still had a whole host of dreams that he stored inside of you, planning a way for you to make beauty out of the ashes of your childhood.
...Now to be fair, I do believe that romance is important in relationships. I think that part of the "safe and godly context" of a Christian marriage consists of a husband and a wife that deeply care about each other. And I believe that God can restore romance to couples that have lost it as they seek Him and stay in His will for their lives.
But Christian marriage must go beyond itself to be truly "fruitful." Possessed with the love of Christ, a husband and wife that have formed a healthy spiritual and physical bond will naturally desire to carry this love outside of the four walls of their bedroom. This may look like physical children, adopted children, or even spiritual children (disciples).
I believe that celibacy is a highly esteemed calling, but the true faith-filled celibate also has a vision for "fruit." Like the Apostle Paul, or more recently, Mother Teresa, these saints will go beyond themselves by spiritually birthing and raising many souls into the Kingdom of God. They may do this through any means of loving service for the sake of their Lord, but either way, they are giving the Lord what He seeks: godly offspring.
I believe the Lord shared this word with me because I have the unique opportunity to be involved with kids of all ages in this season of my life. I live with college age students; I am temporarily teaching high school and junior high students; I teach drum lessons to elementary school students; and I sometimes have the privilege of spending an evening with one of my friends that has even younger children. For years now I have been learning to love them, despite my massive insecurities and physical weaknesses, and even seeing marriage itself in a new light because of them.
Human marriage will end, but children last forever. Let us set our sights on something beyond our own selfish needs and romantic fantasies and pour love and truth into the next generation.
----
(**I've never really shared thoughts on a subject like this before, so please let me know if you think I am "off" in any way.)
I prayed a bit as I walked. Sometimes I do that. I wasn't loudly praising God, or interceding for the nations; just letting my thoughts drift towards heaven...listening. Looking. Waiting.
A thought dropped into my spirit, and it seemed to be from above: "Marriage will end in heaven, but children last forever."
I pondered the truth of it. Jesus was clear that the institution of marriage was a temporal one and would cease in the age to come. We would become "like angels" in that sense (Matthew 22:30). But once a child is conceived in the womb, he or she becomes a living spirit with an eternal destiny. Mysteriously, then, a temporary arrangement sets the stage to bring forth an everlasting human soul!
Children are high priority in heaven. One of the most important aspects of marriage is that it can potentially create a safe and godly context to bring kids into the world that have unimaginable value to God. This flies in the face of western culture. We value romance in the most narcissistic way possible, and even Christian marriage can become an excuse to find life and identity in someone of the opposite sex and have your essential needs met in an "acceptable" way.
In the book of Malachi, God shares His views on marriage: "But did He not make them one, having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring." (Malachi 2:15)
Some of the books on relationships that I see in the Christian book stores might read like thus: "And why did God make them one in marriage? So they could learn how to make one another happy for the rest of their lives." The Bible is much more "children-friendly" than we are. God says that He is seeking godly offspring, and He is matching girls with guys to bring this about!
I believe God had you in mind before your Mom and Dad ever got together. Even if the circumstances of your birth weren't "ideal," God still had a whole host of dreams that he stored inside of you, planning a way for you to make beauty out of the ashes of your childhood.
...Now to be fair, I do believe that romance is important in relationships. I think that part of the "safe and godly context" of a Christian marriage consists of a husband and a wife that deeply care about each other. And I believe that God can restore romance to couples that have lost it as they seek Him and stay in His will for their lives.
But Christian marriage must go beyond itself to be truly "fruitful." Possessed with the love of Christ, a husband and wife that have formed a healthy spiritual and physical bond will naturally desire to carry this love outside of the four walls of their bedroom. This may look like physical children, adopted children, or even spiritual children (disciples).
I believe that celibacy is a highly esteemed calling, but the true faith-filled celibate also has a vision for "fruit." Like the Apostle Paul, or more recently, Mother Teresa, these saints will go beyond themselves by spiritually birthing and raising many souls into the Kingdom of God. They may do this through any means of loving service for the sake of their Lord, but either way, they are giving the Lord what He seeks: godly offspring.
I believe the Lord shared this word with me because I have the unique opportunity to be involved with kids of all ages in this season of my life. I live with college age students; I am temporarily teaching high school and junior high students; I teach drum lessons to elementary school students; and I sometimes have the privilege of spending an evening with one of my friends that has even younger children. For years now I have been learning to love them, despite my massive insecurities and physical weaknesses, and even seeing marriage itself in a new light because of them.
Human marriage will end, but children last forever. Let us set our sights on something beyond our own selfish needs and romantic fantasies and pour love and truth into the next generation.
----
(**I've never really shared thoughts on a subject like this before, so please let me know if you think I am "off" in any way.)
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