Tonight we stopped by the church as the youth group was beginning their evening meeting. We sat down at the table with about 6 of them and watched and listened as a text conversation began between two girls–one present and one in the town nearby. It was bad. One challenged the other to fight. The language was appalling and the whole situation made me sick.
I know both of the girls involved. One of them was my neighbor when she was a baby. Matter of fact, our daughter babysat for her many times. The other comes to our church on a regular basis and is a member of our youth group. My mind began to dwell on the situation and I thought about what these kids were doing. My concern for them goes much deeper than that of a pastor’s wife and/or friend to them. What are they doing with their future? If this is their behavior pattern, what is life going to be like for their future children.
God’s word says that we must turn the hearts of the parents toward their children and through that to a relationship with Jesus Christ. How can these teens have any relationship that will teach morals and upright living to their children. Are their kids going to grow up with filthy language being the talk of their homes? Are their children going to threaten to beat up other kids or even worse–to kill them.
O God, help us who labor in the mission field of our town. Help us to show these teens and children that their lives are precious in God’s sight and it is His desire that none of them should perish. I think about how minute our church is in size and how difficult the task that awaits us. My heartfelt prayer is that God will place the burden in the hearts of others who can help us. Otherwise, what future do our children have?
For my own children and grandchildren, my prayer is that God will keep them pure and holy in His sight and that they will have the strength to keep away from the evils of this world. May this be your prayer too.
