Day 19: Salvation

For us mammas who love Jesus, the greatest desire of our hearts is to see our children, who are not followers of Christ, be reconciled to Him. I remind myself daily that God is the author and perfecter of their faith (Heb 12:2), and that I have no power to redeem the life of another, or give ransom for them (Psalm 49: 7-9). My kids’ salvation has nothing to do with my desire or effort, but authentic faith and regeneration is only through Gods mercy (Rom. 9:16). Nothing that I can do will ultimately lift them from the grave; their salvation is dependant on God alone (Ps 49:15).

Scott and I have often talked through hopes and dreams for our children – we have specifically begged the Lord to keep our children free from the enemy and a life of habitual sin. Most recently, our prayers have changed; because our greater anticipation is that the Lord would use any means possible to bring our children to Him, if that’s what it takes. I am not afraid to be refined by fire (Zech. 13:9), because the Lord is a shade from the heat (Is. 25:4) and he works everything for our good and his glory (Rom 8:28).

Specifically, I pray that my children would grasp their state of complete and total depravity apart from God (Rom 3:9-18). I hope that an inward calling on their life would be made abundantly clear very early as God uses his creation to woo them to Himself (Rom. 8:30, Rom 1:18-20). I want the Lord to give them a new heart and put a new spirit in them; and replace their heart of stone with a heart of flesh. I pray that He moves them to follow His decrees and be careful to keep His laws Ez. 36:26-27). I hope that my kids refrain from simply professing belief in the facts about Jesus, but that they proclaim belief and faith in the person of Jesus Christ and His atoning work on the Cross. May they experience true heart and lifestyle change as their hearts are opened to the gospel by the grace of God (Acts 16:14). I hope for great outward evidence of salvation through repentance, spiritual growth, and visible fruit (Gal 5:22).

For their salvation, I will certainly pray without ceasing!