September 26, 2011 Devotional

A Note from Mom

Next weekend I go home for fall break, and I can already tell you how the trip will start: After the long, ten-hour drive, I'll pull in to the driveway, make my way up the stairs and into my bedroom to find a note from my Mom that reads: "See you in the morning. Coffee's on."
 
The next morning, I'll wake up to the same scene I've woken up to as long as I can remember: Mom on the porch, with her coffee in one hand and her Bible in the other. I'll grab mine as I sink into the chair next to her, and we'll begin to catch up, soon realizing half the morning has slipped away.
 
To you, this might sound like a normal mother/daughter ritual, but to me it's much more than that. It's during these moments I've learned what have proven to be life's most important lessons so far. By listening to my mom and watching her live, I've learned how to follow the path God has specifically chosen for me.
 
When my mom asked me to write this, I wasn't sure what to write on since you've all obviously experienced much more than a 21-year-old college student. But there is one thing I can encourage you in, and it's this: never underestimate your influence in the lives of your kids.
 
I'm currently attending a school FULL of other pastor's kids, and being around them has made me realize this: there's a major difference in the attitudes and actions of those kids whose parents have gotten their roles mixed up. They've chosen to place their roles as pastors above their role as parents, and it's obvious.
 
That's exactly what Eli did. In 1 Samuel, we see that he was used greatly by God as the priest of Shiloh yet He wasn't in control of his own home. Eli was physically present, but he was emotionally un-involved. And it showed in his kids too.
 
I know many of you and your families and know that because of how you've chosen to live, your own kids have just as much reason to be writing this devotional as I do. You've obviously modeled a life of right priorities, and it's showing.
 
But if you're wondering why your kids aren't responding to God the way you expected them to, I encourage you to do a priority check. If you're having trouble finding the balance between your roles as a pastor and a parent, check out what God has to say about it.
 
If you'll set your roles as a parent and pastor according to the way He sees them, your kids will notice the change. It'll give them a greater respect for God's work in their lives and in the lives of those around them. Don't think they don't notice you choosing their soccer game over that after-hour care call-- they do. Those "Coffee's on" notes mean more than you realize.

Andrea Graff

Faith Family Church
Victoria, TX
www.faithfamilyvictoria.org