1 Kings 3:23-28 NKJV
“And the king said, “The one says, ‘This is my son, who lives, and your son is the dead one’; and the other says, ‘No! But your son is the dead one, and my son is the living one.’ ” Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword before the king. And the king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to one, and half to the other.” Then the woman whose son was living spoke to the king, for she yearned with compassion for her son; and she said, “O my Lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him!” But the other said, “Let him be neither mine nor yours, but divide him.” So the king answered and said, “Give the first woman the living child, and by no means kill him; she is his mother.” And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had rendered; and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.”
INSIGHT
–After the swearing in of king Solomon to the throne, he was required to judge a matter between two women. One gave birth to a child and three days later another also gave birth. One the ladies accidentally lay on the child while sleeping and he died. She exchanged the dead boy with the other ladies baby and claimed that the live child was hers. Then Solomon asked one of the guards to split the baby into two and the mother of the child hindered him and requested that the baby be surrendered to the other lady. The love and compassion of a mother is very evident through this story who definitely secured the life of her baby. The true mother would rather have the child live without her than to die with her. She put the child’s welfare above her own. Even as the wisdom of Solomon was displayed and the mother of the live child can also be viewed as wise. This selfless demonstration of love for one’s children should be evidenced and celebrated in our own lives and families.
PRAYER
Lord You are Good and Your love endures to all generations. Your wisdom is perfect dear Jesus and You grant all men wisdom as You wish. Lord You say in Your word that if anyone lacks wisdom they should ask from You, may You grant us wisdom precious Holy Spirit. May Your gift of wisdom abide in us and be evident in family, parenting, work, leadership and any other area for the glory and honor of Your name. May You forgive us all our sins and iniquities dear Master and wash us with Your precious blood. May You guide us through-out this week and go ahead of us in everything dear Lord. May You fight for us every battle dear Jesus and grant us Your peace that surpasses all human understanding. May You grant us our hearts desires and grant all our requests. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and forevermore. Amen
Further Reading: James 1:5-8
Colossians 3:18-21 NKJV
“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them. Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.”
INSIGHT
-The model of a Christian home is exhibited through these scriptures. Each one has a duty to uphold in the family unit and ensure there is peace, love and cohesion according to God’s instructions. These responsibilities seem like it is mutually exclusive when the wife submits to the husband, husband loves the wife and does not provoke the children to anger that they are not demotivated and depressed. These bonds of unity hold so strongly by the love of God that He has poured upon us and enables us to be good stewards in the family. The children then learn from the parents and emulate each one through their words, actions and interactions. When the husband loves the wife, the children learn to love and if the wife respects the husband, they also learn respect, and that family is authored and guided fully by the Lord for the glory and honor of His name.
PRAYER
Dear Heavenly Father we come to Your throne of grace with confidence that we may obtain grace and mercy to help us during our time of need. We need You Lord more than ever that Your grace and mercy may abound upon us and our families. May You forgive us for every sin and iniquity that we have committed in our family units. When we have not done that which is pleasing to You or performed our duties in our families may You forgive us and wash us with Your precious blood dear Lord Jesus. Where husbands have not loved their wives as You have loved us Jesus with unconditional love may You forgive us. When wives have not submitted and respected their husbands as unto You Jesus Christ, may You forgive us. Where children have disobeyed and not honored their parents may You forgive us and guide us in Your ways and truth. Where anyone has failed in one way, or another may You forgive us and restore us loving Master. Where anyone is battling with depression, drug and alcohol abuse, sexual immorality, gambling, addictions and any other weakness, may You revive us and heal us merciful Savior. May Your name be exulted and praise in us and through us Holy Spirit that others may see the salt and light that You made us and glorify You Lord. May You bind us together with cords of human kindness and ties of love that cannot be broken. In everything may Your love which binds us all together in perfect unity remain in us and with us. May You unite us together loving Jesus in You and in Your word, now and forever. Amen
Further Reading: Hosea 11:4, Colossians 3:14
Job 1:4-5 NKJV
“And his sons would go and feast in their houses, each on his appointed day, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did regularly.”
INSIGHT
-Job a spiritually upright man who lived in the land of Uz a large territory East of Jordan feared God. He offered sacrifices regularly to the Lord on behalf of his children lest they have sinned against the Lord. Since the father of the household acted as a priest since the time of Abram (Genesis 15:9-10) and consecrated his children. This was a way of seeking absolution from their sins lest they sinned or cursed God in their hearts. Our prayers to God are sweet smelling incense to Him (Psalms 141:2), when they are acceptable to Him. We are therefore called to always pray for our children as often as possible seeking God’s mercy, forgiveness, guidance and blessings.
PRAYER
Abba Father our God, we thank You for this day. We give You praise due to Your glory and strength. We give You glory due to Your name and worship You in the beauty of Your holiness. Your voice Lord is over the waters, Your glory thunders over many waters. Your voice Lord is powerful. Your voice is full of majesty. May You forgive us all our sins, trespasses and those of our children. May you forgive our children where they have sinned against You loving Father with their actions, thoughts and words and sanctify them body, soul and spirit. We declare that our children are blessed in the city and in the country. They are the head and not the tail. They are the first and not the last. They are blessed when they come in and blessed when they go out. The fruit of our womb is blessed. May You Lord grant that the enemies who rise up against our families will always be defeated before us. They will come at us from one direction but flee from us in seven. May You send a blessing on our barns and on everything we put our hands to. May You bless us in the land that You have given unto us and establish us as Your holy people and help us to always walk in obedience to You dear Lord Jesus. May You grant us abundant prosperity that You may open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on our land in season and bless all the work of our hands. We will lend to many nations but borrow from none. We thank You and honor You dear Lord Jesus and it is in Jesus mighty name we pray. Amen
Further Reading: Psalms 29:1-4, Deuteronomy 28:2-14
Proverbs 22:6 NKJV
“Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.”
INSIGHT
-The upbringing of children should be guided and instructed by the discipline and teaching of the Lord. Parents are encouraged to train their children in the wisdom of God guided by scripture. Sometimes parents and guardians give excuses for their involvement in the busyness of life, through work and other activities thus neglecting their parental responsibilities. Genesis 18:19 reveals to us the mandate entrusted to Abraham as the father of many nations, to command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, do righteousness and justice. We are called to guide our children in the way of the Lord and as they grown old they will remain faithful to God.
PRAYER
Abba Father we thank You for enabling us to see this new month in peace. You are a Good and Merciful God, we give You all the glory and praise. Lord we thank You for showing us the model of true parenting that You have loved us with such great love that is unconditional and everlasting. You have been faithful to us even when we have become faithless. You are so loving and kind to us, and we appreciate Your goodness and grace upon us. Thank You for the children that You have given unto us, as parents, guardians and relatives. We pray for the grace of parenting upon every parent and potential parents that Your grace may be sufficient even through this journey, that we may train up all children in Your wisdom and knowledge of You dear Lord Jesus. You are so faithful dear Lord, may You help our children to remain committed in faith for the glory and honor of Your name Jesus. We pray this through Christ our Lord. Amen
Further Reading: Proverbs 29:17, Proverbs 13:24
Isaiah 54:13 NIV
“All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace.”
INSIGHT
-The Lord our God is our Father and offers parental guidance to our children. Once we received Him and believed in His name, He gives us the right to become His children (John 1:12). Matthew chapter one reveals the genealogy of Jesus starting from Abraham the father of faith. We are called the seed of Abraham and heirs according to the promise for we belong to Christ (Galatians 3:29). The genealogy of Jesus is therefore about us and each one should insert their names below it together with our children having hope of an eternal inheritance.
SUMMARY
Parenting comes from the Hebrew root word horim which means teachers, emphasizing the fact that Jewish tradition sees parents not only as progenitors and guardians but also as educators tasked with empowering their child with the knowledge and tools they need to live healthy, wholesome, and independent lives. Being a parent is thus not merely defined by bringing a child into the world, but equally, if not more importantly, by preparing them for a successful future. After Hannah gave birth to Samuel and dedicated him to the Lord, Eli the priests took charge by guiding the child how to hear and respond to God (1 Samuel 3:1-11). Parents have the responsibility of training up children in the way they should go and when they grow old they will depart from it (Proverbs 22:6). Like Job who offered sacrifices for his children regularly lest they sinned against God, parents have the mandate of praying for their children regularly and teaching them how to pray (Job 1:4-5). However the parents conduct their affairs, children are quick to learn and emulate them. Wives are called to submit to their husbands and husbands to love their wives. Through these principles, children become their model even as they obey their parents (Colossians 3:18-21). Parents are most important called to love their children unconditionally and protect them and their interests as we yearn from the wisdom of Solomon (1 Kings 3:23-28). Our children belong to God and we are only custodians, therefore we should be guided by the Lord as we show them the way that leads to eternal life.
PRAYER
Dear Lord we enter Your courts with thanksgiving in our hearts, honor and praise. We thank You for You are good and Your love endures forever. Oh Lord Your faithfulness continues to all generations. We shout for joy unto You Oh Lord and worship You with all gladness and joyful songs. Father we are Yours and we are the sheep and of Your pasture. Dear Lord today we commit all our children unto You and we pray that You shall be their teacher. May they be taught by You Oh Lord and may You be their peace always. We pray that they shall learn all things from You Oh precious Holy Spirit. May You hide them from all danger, and schemes of the enemy who comes to kill, steal and destroy but cover them with You precious blood Jesus. May You bless us and keep us dear Lord Jesus. May You shine Your face towards us and be gracious unto us. May You show Your countenance unto us and give us peace. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and forevermore. Amen
Further Reading: Psalms 100:1-5, Hebrews 12:6