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A Prayer and Wish for My Children



Introduction to this letter written to my father

A Prayer and Wish for My Children

The letter you are about to read was written to my father while my children were in high school. Time has unfailingly passed. My father, Pops, is gone and my children have entered into bonified adulthood. They are on their way, my daughter is finishing her degree, my son is in the “mix” already, performing and providing for himself. Both have arrived to join the “grownup” world of adult decision making. But, nothing has changed, at least when it comes to how and what I pray for them.


I watch the news like a hawk, in fact I’m a little addicted to getting and knowing the “latest.” I have all my “go to” sites bookmarked on my phone. There isn’t much “happy” in the news these days, has there ever been? Probably not. Inflation up, really up, prices going up the wazoo for everything, stock market going bearish, cryptos taking a tailspin, gold is down, gas prices into the stratosphere, groceries right behind. Many, if not most, are trying not to get pulled out by the riptide of our current events. Not much out there to get a “happy” fix on. And that's just what is going on here in our little bubble. What are we to do? Most of America will look for ways to anesthetize themselves to the realities that are being presented to us. Food, shopping, Netflix, Hulu, drugs, sex, getting lost in our work; there are many ways we can forget, at least temporarily, the woes of our current society and culture. But….. we all know the truth, they won’t solve anything, probably will make things worse.


In this letter I discuss with my dad what I deeply and truly want for my children. I know they will and are facing for the first time in their young lives the ills and challenges of the world’s system. Hardships, detours, struggles and pain lie ahead. Why?? Because they are alive; alive and living in the enemy’s territory. So how do I pray for them knowing all this? This is what I share with Pops in this letter.



 

This letter was written on January 16, 2019


A Prayer and Wish for My Children


In Your presence is fullness of joy. Psalm 16:11



Hi Dad,


As a parent I deeply wish for my children to experience great happiness in their lives, now and in the future. I receive great satisfaction seeing them when they are happy. There is nothing like seeing big smiles and hearing laughter come from a person who is happy, especially my kids!


Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines ”happy” in elaborate terms. One definition he has is; happy: enjoying pleasure from the gratification of appetites or desires. We experience “happy” when we are involved in something that fulfills a desire we have. Unfortunately, even wrong desires fulfilled can make you happy. The “happy” we experience can be very short in duration (eating a fabulous meal) or longer (Cindy has provided “happy” for me for 46+ years).


I think “happy” is great. The more the better as long it is produced by good and honorable things. Poor it on. I’m ready for it.


Many naive people believe Christ followers have doomed themselves to no or limited “happy” in their lives. Quite the contraire! When we live as the Creator intended us to, the “happy” meter needle actually gets to spike over on “maximum” more than ever. I have never had a problem with too little or no “happy” in my life.


But.....if I were to choose for my children between having a lot of “happy” in their lives or having a life filled with joy, I would wish for them joy, hands down. Joy is the game finisher. Joy is substantial and enduring. “Happy” can take flight in a moment’s notice, true joy will never abandon you. “Happy” is dependent on real-time circumstances. Joy is absolutely independent of the here and now. (By the way, you can experience joy and happy at the same time, but joy is the crowning jewel) Yep Pops, joy is to be desired most of all.


JOY: a delight of the mind from the consideration of...an assured approaching possession of a GOOD. N. Webster 1828

Mr. Webster defines “joy” as: a delight of the mind from the consideration of the present or ASSURED APPROACHING POSSESSION OF A GOOD.


“You fill me with joy in your presence.” Psalm 16:11 NIV

What is the joy the Psalmist is speaking of? The absolute “delight” that we receive when we experience and know of Jesus’ presence in our lives. “Joy” is also the calming peace we experience when we consider our approaching possession, the priceless possession we will have in our eternal home, Heaven. Even in the midst of crud in our lives, we receive joy when we know the "good" truth of our awaiting future home during this present and temporary time we have behind enemy lines. The “good” of our hope in our eternal place with Father produces a delight and a gift of joy in us. This joy gives us a “peace that passes understanding.” Thus, Paul could sing while in prison and you and I can face our difficulties of this world because we have joy.


I wish much happiness for my children but I pray for their hearts to always to be filled with the joy that comes from knowing the daily presence of Jesus and the matching hope He gives in their lives, no matter what their circumstances may be. This is my prayer and wish for them.


Love you Dad



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