I find myself intimidated and sometimes anxious about my impending parenthood.  How do I hold the baby right, take care of the baby right, do the right things so it doesn’t get sick or take care of it or keep it well.  Is it sleeping too much?  Too little?  Is he supposed to look that way?  These are all the questions, and many more, that I figure I’ll be asking and anxious about when we finally get to take Caleb home with us.  Scary!!!  And then there’s the countless advice (welcomed advice!) from so many sources all around us!  I suppose you might call it a whirlwind of learning, growing, changing, maturing, all the while being terrified and excited all at once.  I’ve blogged before about how much of a comfort a reliance on God is in times like these, because He is ultimately the one in control.  But how does God see parenthood?  What does God view as important in regards to parental duty?  After looking at scripture, I can summarize some of what God has in mind for parents:

God’s word tells me that we are to love our children, to bring them up in Christ, train them up for God, instruct them in God’s word, tell them of God’s judgments and miraculous works, to command them to obey God, to bless them, to provide for them, to correct them yet not provoke them.  To always be in prayer for their spiritual welfare, their temptations and their times of sickness.  Also to always remember that we receive our children from God.

Seems like a heavy load!  And yet I know that when I am weak, He is strong!  And that his commands are not burdensome.  That we can rely upon Him when we struggle and know that His ultimate plan for Caleb will be carried out.

I am still a scared, foolish, anxious soon-to-be Daddy, but I know my heavenly father will build me through this, build Bri and I through this, and teach us so much in spite of our often goofy and anxious selves.  I can’t wait!

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Scripture on Parents/Children :: Tit 2:4, Mt. 19:13,14, Pr 22:6, Eph 6:4, De 4:9; 11:19, Isa 38.19. Ex 10:2, Ps 78:4, De 32:46; 1 Ch 28:9, Job 42:15, 2 Co 12:14; 1 Ti 5:8, Pr 13:24, 19:18; 23:13, 29:18, Heb 12:7, Eph 6:4, Col 3:21