Include the Children

2 Chronicles 20:3-4, 13, ESV

3Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 4And Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.

…

13Meanwhile all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children. 

Last month we were in 2 Chronicles 20 studying King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah when a “great horde” came against them. To wrap this up, we’re actually going to go back to the very beginning of that story, where something new stood out to me that I just felt like we were supposed to emphasize: 

the people of Judah included their children. 

They didn’t hide their great need from their children as they cried out to God, they brought them into it.

And I believe we need to do the same thing.

While we must absolutely use wisdom and discernment when it comes to what and how much we include our children in, we cannot be afraid to bring our children into our vulnerability when we need a miracle. Even our spiritual children.

We don’t bring them into our FEAR—and if we’re feeling fear, then we need to deal with that first—but we do bring them into our FAITH.

When we allow our children to walk something out with us, then God uses it in their lives in a firsthand way. Secondhand storytelling is powerful—and biblical!—but firsthand experience is formative.

Oh Lord, thank you that we can bring our great needs before you. Please give us wisdom and discernment on when and how to bring our children into our walk of faith so that they can experience firsthand, at a young age, your mighty, saving hand. Amen.