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Remember the “Trust Game” from childhood? The one where you have someone stand behind you who says they will catch you. Then you turn around and face the other direction, and fall back blindly as you trust that they will catch you- that they will do what they said they would do. It sure got my heart rate to speed up a little each time I would play that as a kid! 

Lately, God has been showing me a little more what it’s like to trust Him through the aspect of parenting. Having our oldest child start kindergarten this year has been a big adjustment – in schedules, in packing lunches, and in learning to trust the Lord with each day. 

As I was reading 1 Samuel, I read about the Philistines capturing the ark of the covenant from the Israelites (4.11) The Israelites hear of this news and seem completely defeated – the whole city cries out, the leader falls over and dies, and everything seems lost. But as you keep reading, God brings such destruction upon the Philistines that they decide they need to return the ark to stop the agony of their people. 

Seven months after the ark was captured, it is returned to the Israelites with additional gifts thrown in, too (6.1 - 7.2). During those 7 months, it must have felt like all was lost, that God had turned His back on the Israelites. However, at the end of it, they have the chance to tell the story of how God provided, how He was faithful to restore the ark to them, but also that it is returned with more than was taken. 

If the Israelites had used this time to seek the Lord and trust Him to provide what they needed, what a great story to tell at the end, for the glory of God! So it got me thinking more about this phase of life our family is in and how I can be trusting God to provide, protect, and care for my kids (because really they’re HIS creation anyway, just entrusted to our family for a time to care for and train up in His Word.) 

So each day as I drop off my son and send him in to school, I now have this reminder to be still before Him and trust that He will do what He says He will do, to remember that He is faithful, and to orient myself to look for what He will do, rather than worry about what I cannot do.

I know the stakes only get higher as kids get older, but we can be thankful for each stage of parenting and what God will teach us through it as we trust Him in each stage. 

Romans 8 is a great reminder of God’s love for His dearly loved children:

v.32: He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? ….

vv.38-39: For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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