I recently had to celebrate two birthdays (3 if you count Jesus’) one for my now 16 year old car driving Daughter and one for my now 13 year old Son.
It wasn’t that the celebrations were bad or that I didn’t enjoy them – I did – and would do it again and will next year.
It’s that it wasn’t too long ago that they would wave to me as I dropped them off at school. In fact they would turn before entering the building with one last wave to me.
For my son there was always a certain place in the car line of elementary school where I would park for a moment as I watched him walk toward the building. He would turn around right before going in the door, wave and smile right before he went in.
Today he still waves as he enters middle school on the rare occasion I take him to school (my wife usually does that). And my daughter… well she is pasted the waving stage but she does look at me from time to time out of the corner of her eye and does a little nod acknowledging my existence while keeping her independence in tact in front of the “High School Kids”. I am thankful for that.
We now have two teenagers in the house and soon they will be gone – which is something I do not want to think about right now – but what I am focusing on is praying for them. Now is the time that the battle for their souls will become more intense and my prayer is that God will give them the wisdom they need to stand against the attacks of the evil one and stay true to God, to their faith and to themselves.
That’s the only thing I really know to do…
So, I pray that they will “…be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. Ephesians 6:10-20 (ESV)
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