Disappearing Children

Read here Al Mohler’s comments about the declining population of children in Japan.  He writes:

The nation of Japan faces a devastating population crisis. The crisis, however, is not a problem of too many people living in Japan, but too few. Japan, with several other nations close behind, faces what we might call a population implosion.

As Mohler points out, this is a problem not only in Japan but also in parts of Europe.

The Bible says that children are like arrows in the hands of a warrior - - resources for the future.  Young couples: I understand that children are a great deal of work.  As Derek Kidner said, “Sometimes they are a handful, before they are a quiver full.”  But, they are our investment for the future - - a lesson that many parts of the world need to learn.

” A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon. Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate (Psalm 127).”

Closer Than a Brother

BIBLICAL TRUTH

“A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24).”

ILLUSTRATION

Our son, Christopher, bumped heads with his brother, Benjamin.

Family Devotions Aren’t that Hard

One of the most valuable things you can do as a family is to spend time together reading the Word of God or a Bible story.  It’s not as hard as you might imagine.  You can do it in 5 or six minutes.

We Joy, We Had Fun . . .

We are thankful for a great vacation.  I did not touch a computer keyboard for a week!

The weather was 75-80 every day . . . Just the slightest taste of the New Earth.

Dangers at the Mall

Jamie and I are taking our children Christmas shopping tonight at a local mall.

 After looking at the picture, and reading about, each of the Omaha victims in the newspaper today, it gives me pause.  Will we be in danger?  Should I allow our 13 year old to take one of her brothers to a different part of the mall to shop?  Or, should I require our family to stay in a pack the entire time?

Should I coach my children on how to take cover if a shooting begins?

But, then, I think the odds that anything like Virginia Tech/Columbine/Omaha will happen tonight are relatively rare.

I wonder if the bigger danger at the mall isn’t rampant materialism?  How does one take cover at the mall from that?

The Urgency of Psalm 127

 Children can be the greatest source of joy and the greatest source of pain.What incredible joy is felt with the birth of a child or a grandchild, to watch them grow up and mature.  One of my major life goals is to see my children love and follow the Lord Jesus Christ.  So, when they demonstrate genuine spiritual interest, my heart is so encouraged.

Children are one of the greatest sources of joy, yet, nothing hurts like seeing children make bad decisions.  Thinking back over my years as a pastor, I think the people in the greatest pain are those whose children make bad choices.  I think of one couple, their son’s choices were so bad that he ended up in prison.  They were left to raise their grandchildren in their retirement years.