Children are important

Am I too busy to speak to my children? I cherish them greatly. There is no excuse to stay connected no matter how old they are. I am not perfect but there is much learning to be made from my successes and failures. The young upcoming leaders should not repeat the mistakes in history. An example of this is Rehoboam.

1 Kings 12:8, But he rejected the advice which the elders had given him, and consulted the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him.

The new king of Israel, Solomon's son, just took over and was approached by Jeroboam to seek some change for the people. Jeroboam used to be Solomon's chief of labor until he escaped to Egypt when he wanted to start a revolt against Solomon. Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders and followed the advice of his peers. This caused the kingdom of Israel to split and majority of Israel officially entering into idolatry. The following verse gives some indication of how a new religion was started with the same practices as the people of God.

1 Kings 12:32, Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. So he did at Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made. And at Bethel he installed the priests of the high places which he had made.

This was a very sad period in the history of Israel and the world. Father, help me stay close to my children. They need the presence of God in their lives, His wisdom and strength.

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