Jeremiah 24:5-6
This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Like these good figs, I regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I sent away from this place to the land of the Babylonians. 6 My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them.
Every night when I go to bed, I pray that I didn’t do too much damage to my children. I ask God, “to erase the bad, and keep the good.” I realize now, as a mother over the age of fifty with children from ages 30 down to 3, that is the wrong prayer.
I should pray,
Lord, may we learn from our mistakes today, and may we celebrate our accomplishments today. Tomorrow, help me to do better, and help my children to learn from both my mistakes and their own. Any harm that has come to them or to me, may it be healed, not erased. Lord, may we be people who triumph over fear, by standing firmly in You. Teach us to forgive, but never forget. Teach us to value the trials and tribulations of life.
Lord, may we sleep in peace and the assurance that your mercies are truly new every morning. Let us wake tomorrow to learn and grow more and more in love and trust in You .
Amen
I hope this prayer is encouraging to you as you parent. We can’t be perfect and our children will never be perfect this side of Eternity, either. You will make mistakes, and so will they. We don’t need to erase the bad, we need to replace the bad with good. We need to seek God and His goodness, and allow Him to make us into the person He created us to be. When our children see us daily seeking Him, then they will learn to do the same.
Seek Wisdom and it will be found.
Proverbs 4
Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction;
pay attention and gain understanding.
2 I give you sound learning,
so do not forsake my teaching.
3 For I too was a son to my father,
still tender, and cherished by my mother.
4 Then he taught me, and he said to me,
“Take hold of my words with all your heart;
keep my commands, and you will live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding;
do not forget my words or turn away from them.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
love her, and she will watch over you.
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom.
Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
embrace her, and she will honor you.
9 She will give you a garland to grace your head
and present you with a glorious crown.”
10 Listen, my son, accept what I say,
and the years of your life will be many.
11 I instruct you in the way of wisdom
and lead you along straight paths.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
guard it well, for it is your life.
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
or walk in the way of evildoers.
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;
turn from it and go on your way.
16 For they cannot rest until they do evil;
they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.
18 The path of the righteous is like the morning sun,
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know what makes them stumble.
20 My son, pay attention to what I say;
turn your ear to my words.
21 Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them
and health to one’s whole body.
23 Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.
24 Keep your mouth free of perversity;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead;
fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Give careful thought to the paths for your feet
and be steadfast in all your ways.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil.
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