Desire

Obedience. It's our first rule "obey the first time without delay". The opposing force (disobedience) is the root of all our problems throughout the day (lying, selfishness, rude behavior). Just recently they memorized Ephesians 6:1 (Children obey your parents, for this is the right thing to do). But I don't want them to obey me, it's bigger than that. I want them to obey because "it's the right thing to do", because they are obeying Christ first.

When asked why they are disobeying I get the classic "I don't know"….. Well I do, let me enlighten you little one. Your heart is full of sin, you don't obey, because you don't want to obey. And guess what? Neither does mommy or daddy, or most anyone else in the world. Thats how we were created.

In 1 Kings 8,  King Solomon challenges his people to, "desire to do God's will in everything, and obey His commands". 

When I read this I immediately realized that our children will not obey until they have the desire to obey, I had been praying the wrong thing! And while I believe that knowing Christ is key to this, many Christians lack the desire to obey as well. We see time and time again (in the Bible and in our world), the lost desire to obey, a choice for our own brokenness over Christ.

Our prayer for our children has evolved now into,  "give them the desire to obey You". I no longer pray that they will not fight, or lie, or disobey. I no longer pray that they will obey. Rather I pray that their hearts are continually pursued by Christ, and that they will have the desire to obey.