"That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; That our daughters may be as pillars, sculptured in palace style" (Ps. 144:12).
As David prayed for deliverance from his enemies, he anticipated the blessings God would bestow upon His people. The blessings David highlights in Psalm 144 include not fame, wealth, ease, and worldly comforts, but a righteous family, prosperity, and divine protection. David looks forward to the day when “our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as pillars, sculptured in palace style; that our barns may be full, supplying all kinds of produce; that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields; that our oxen may be well-laden; that there be no breaking in or going out; that there be no outcry in our streets” (vv. 12–14).
This is the kind of life David envisions as being blessed by the Lord. David begins with the family and extends from that basic social structure to the society as a whole. When our children grow to be strong and righteous, our society will be positively affected. If an entire generation of godly children would be infused into the framework of our culture, our society would be turned upside down. Sadly, we often do not think of our children as ambassadors of peace for tomorrow. Yet our children will be the ones who will either grow to be leaders in our church or enemies of the Gospel; they will either become productive workers in our community or promoters of a statist mentality. As you raise your children, do you consider how you are preparing them for the roles they must fill in the future? Are you doing your best to take these tender roots and grow them up to maturity—spiritually, intellectually, emotionally, and physically. While redemption is certainly in the hands of the Lord, He has established parents as the primary means to grow children in the ways of godliness and righteousness.
Are you training your sons and daughters according to God’s precepts? Whether God chooses to save them or not, does not diminish your responsibility to instruct them in His ways. Strong, independent, hard-working, righteous children are blessings from the Lord—blessings that adorn the church and the society in which we live. May the prayers of every Christian include a petition for our children to grow in grace and bring glory to Jesus Christ our Lord.
If you have young children or grandchildren, commit to praying for them every day that they may be renewed in the image of Christ, that they might bring glory to God in the church and in our society. If you do not have young children, commit to praying for one or two children in your church daily (or weekly).
