My friends, Jana and Mike, are great Christian people. At their church they serve on boards, teach Sunday School, and mentor young people. As you would expect they raised their children in the church. Like their parents from children’s choir to Young Singles throughout the years Jana and Mike’s kids were always involved. Then they graduated from high school and went off to college. At college it was easy to give up on church so they dropped out. To Jana and Mike’s amazement they seemed to have turned their backs on God, the church, and their parents’ religious influence.
But Jana and Mike, because they are faithful Christians, never stop praying for their children, hoping for years to see some sign that there is interest again in the traditions and teachings of their youth. Without pressuring them Jana and Mike ease into a conversation about whether they have any interest in finding a church where they live. Not wanting to turn their children off to God altogether, they gently invite them to their church when they come home for visits.
If you brought your children up in church, there have been seeds planted in them. Seeds that you may not even be aware of. There are seeds of the Word of God planted by Sunday School teachers, the pastor, and youth leaders. There are seeds of influence of older Christian friends who planted the love of Jesus and the love of fellow man in them. Seeds of love, kindness, consideration, respect, and gentleness were planted. Worship services planted seeds of love for God and Jesus. Ceremonies planted seeds of order and spiritual authority. Prayers said in church planted seeds of reverence and respect for leadership. I could go on and on. You can make your own list. But I believe that as you do you will be surprised at how many different kinds of seeds were planted. I want to remind you that those seeds are still there hidden deep inside. They have not gone away. How do I know?
I know because the Word of God says so. Scripture tells us that we have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding Word of God. It goes on to say that the Word of the Lord abides forever. (1 Peter 1:23) That it never dies. Therefore the seed of the gospel never dies. The Word of God that was planted in us like imperishable seed does not wither away. It lives forever.
So take heart, the seeds of the gospel that were planted in your children are still there. They are still alive. They may be dormant but sometimes you can still see evidence of life inside them. If you can talk to them about some special memory of church, you’ll see in their faces. They remember. If you can play them a special hymn or quote their favorite Bible verse, you’ll see that it will move them even now. That is clear evidence that the seeds can be stirred up in spite of their seeming disinterest.
Never give up on your children’s relationship with God. Never give up on the seed that is alive in them. Have faith that the seed which was planted in the good soil of your child’s spirit is crying out to be watered and nourished. That seed is hungry for new growth. Be alert. Listen to your grown children with your spiritual ears, and you will hear the cry of the seed. Stir up those seeds of God’s word so your children may remember the fellowship they once enjoyed in their relationship with God.
Jana and Mike’s children are not in church yet but they continue to pray and believe that it will happen. They continually listen to the cry of the seed and respond with loving care believing that the word will bring them back. They rest assured because the Word of God lives forever in their children.
