Parenting in the Valley of Dry Bones: Trusting God's Power and Grace

Parenting in the Valley of Dry Bones

Parenting can be a roller coaster ride, with ups and downs, twists and turns. At times it can be an exhilarating experience, and at other times, it can be exhausting and frustrating. As parents, we want to see our children thrive and succeed in life, but we also know that life is not always easy.

One of the hardest things about parenting is dealing with our children's sin. We want to help them grow in their faith and avoid the pitfalls of this world, but sin can be a stronghold that seems impossible to overcome. We feel like we're in the middle of a valley of dry bones, helpless to change anything on our own.

The Valley of Dry Bones

In Ezekiel 37, the prophet Ezekiel was taken by God to a valley filled with dry bones. The bones were scattered about, and there was no sign of life. God asked Ezekiel, "Son of man, can these bones live?" Ezekiel replied, "Sovereign Lord, you alone know."

God then commanded Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones, saying, "Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord."

Ezekiel did as he was commanded, and as he prophesied, the bones began to rattle and come together. Tendons and flesh appeared on them, and skin covered them. But there was still no breath in them. Then God commanded Ezekiel to prophesy to the breath, saying, "Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live."

Ezekiel prophesied, and the breath entered the bodies, and they came to life. God had taken the dry bones and brought them back to life.

Parenting in the Valley of Dry Bones

As parents, we often feel like we're in the same valley as Ezekiel. We see our children struggling with sin, and we feel helpless to change anything. We may feel like we're speaking to dry bones, with no sign of life.

But just as God breathed life into the dry bones, he can breathe life into our children's hearts. We can't do it on our own, but we can trust in God's power and grace to do what we can't.

Here are some ways we can parent in the valley of dry bones:

1. Pray

Prayer is powerful. When we pray for our children, we're inviting God to work in their hearts. We can pray for their salvation, their growth in Christ, and their protection from the temptations of this world. We can pray for God to give us wisdom as we parent them and for the Holy Spirit to guide us in our interactions with them.

James 5:16 says, "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." When we pray for our children, we can trust that God hears us and that he is working in their hearts.

2. Speak God's Word

The Word of God is living and active (Hebrews 4:12). When we speak God's Word to our children, we're planting seeds in their hearts that can grow and bear fruit. We can read the Bible with them, memorize Scripture together, and speak truth to them when they're struggling with sin.

Proverbs 22:6 says, "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." When we teach our children God's Word, we're giving them a foundation that will last a lifetime.

3. Model Christ-likeness

Our children are watching us, and they learn more from our actions than our words. As parents, we need to model Christ-likeness in our daily lives. We can show them what it looks like to love God and love others, to serve and to sacrifice.

1 Corinthians 11:1 says, "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ." When we model Christ-likeness, we're showing our children what it means to follow Jesus.

4. Discipline in Love

Discipline is an essential part of parenting. When our children disobey or engage in sinful behavior, we need to correct them in a loving and gentle way. Discipline should never be done out of anger or frustration but out of a desire to help our children grow in their faith.

Hebrews 12:11 says, "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." When we discipline our children in love, we're helping them to grow in their character and their relationship with God.

5. Trust God's Grace

As parents, we need to remember that we're not perfect, and we'll make mistakes. We need to trust in God's grace to cover our shortcomings and to work in our children's hearts despite our failures.

Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast." When we trust in God's grace, we're acknowledging that our salvation and our children's salvation are not based on our works but on God's mercy and love.

Conclusion

Parenting in the valley of dry bones is not easy, but we can trust in God's power and grace to work in our children's hearts. We can pray, speak God's Word, model Christ-likeness, discipline in love, and trust in God's grace.

Let's remember that we're not alone in this journey. God is with us, and he's working in our children's hearts. Let's trust in him and be faithful to do our part as parents.