Releasing Children

I remember talking with a friend just a few weeks before my firstborn was to be married. I was consumed with uncertainty and doubt about the situation. His wise words have resonated with me from that day until this: “You’ve raised your daughter. You’ve prayed over her. You’ve taught her well. Now trust the Holy Spirit in her and give her wings to fly.” The Bible says that children are like arrows. Arrows serve no purpose safely tucked away in our quiver. To be effective, arrows must be launched. We have to let them go. If you’ve ever shot a bow and arrow, you know that as you pull that string back, the tension gets higher and higher just before you loose the arrow. So too in our lives the tension can be high in our children’s teenage years. But in the end we can’t let our fears outweigh our faith. We are called to raise our children well . . . and then release them. They were never really ours in the first place. We’ve simply had them on loan from Him who loves them even to the point of death on the cross. Begin now when your children are young to entrust them to the hands of the One who created them. Releasing our children is the natural order of things . . . and the time when you’ll see all the seeds that you’ve so lovingly planted begin to bear fruit.

WHEN YOU NEED A REMINDER TO SEND YOUR CHILDREN INTO THE WORLD . . .

Children born to a young man

are like arrows in a warrior’s hands.

How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them!

He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates.

WHEN IT’S BEEN A WHILE SINCE YOU PRAYED FOR YOUR ARROWS . . .

Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.

WHEN YOUR ADULT CHILD NEEDS TO HEAR WHAT GOD CAN DO . . .

My enemies did their best to kill me,

but the LORD rescued me.

The LORD is my strength and my song;

he has given me victory.

Songs of joy and victory are sung in the camp of the godly.

The strong right arm of the LORD has done glorious things!

WHEN YOU NEED TO TRUST GOD TO DO EVEN MORE . . .

All glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.