The Comforter Will Come

I’m watching some of my nieces and nephews grow up. It’s an annoying habit that children have—this growing up thing—although every parent would be much more annoyed if their children did not grow up.

But parents have some annoying habits, too—especially good parents, who really care about there children, want them to make good choices, and want them to serve the Lord for the rest of their lives. A one­year­old child may cling to his parents, but more often than not, caring parents will cling like crazy to their budding adult child. Parents are scared to death that the moment the child—or, to be more accurate, adult—is on his or her own, bad choices, danger, and evils will abound and eventually overtake and overwhelm this young person.

I had observed in my own life that I never really got to know the Lord until I moved out from under my parents’ roof, but this morning I saw something that I hadn’t seen before.

At the last supper that Jesus had with his disciples, he made an interesting statement. He said it was better for him to leave them, because when he left, the comforter would come to them. Clearly he was stating that they were better off having the comforter with them, than to have Jesus himself with them.

I’ve heard a number of teachings about this concept, but today this struck me clearly: as long as Jesus was with his disciples, they always went to him. They always looked to him. If they had any problem, they ran to Jesus. If they had any question, they ran to Jesus. They never went directly to God. When they were faced with a hungry multitude, they did not lift their face to heaven and ask God for a miracle—they went to Jesus and said, "we need a miracle." Jesus heard from God on their behalf. Jesus believed God on their behalf. They did nothing but follow.

Frankly, they were totally and completely useless.

They were children.

Personally, I believe the comforter could have come while Jesus was there-but they wouldn’t have received him. Take Jesus away, though, and suddenly you have a void. Suddenly you have a need. Suddenly, you’re going to need to go directly to God. Suddenly you’re going to need that comforter all the time. Suddenly you’re going to need to grow up.

And so it is with parents.

God intends for you to disciple your children, but just as there was an appropriate time for Jesus to leave, so that his disciples could connect directly to the Father, so there is an appropriate time for you to step aside as your child’s guide. A child will follow either in the footsteps of his earthly father, or in the footsteps of his Heavenly Father.

NO ONE CAN HAVE TWO FATHERS.

(That goes for moms, too.)

You know God as your father. Allow your children to know Him as their Father, too.

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