Choices and Consequences; Discipline and Discipleship

It's been a long and winding road for my sweet son Isaiah.  As a 15 year old who professes a personal relationship with God, he has come to realize that he is still on the throne of his heart and that his choices are leading him down the wrong path.  He has developed some very un-Christ-like habits, such as being disrespectful towards his teachers, belligerent in his words, actions that challenge authority, or what others might define as "normal teenage rebellion".  But in our opinion, we are not going to excuse his actions as the "normal teenage rebellion". We don't want to label it as a "phase".  We are taking steps to point him towards making Christ the center of his life.  Isaiah likes to blame others, make excuses, fake change, downplay his part in the problem, and the list can go on.  And at time, he has even feigned senility, stating that he can't remember exactly what happened.

So, I have been thinking a lot about choices we make, the desire to be obedient and the simplicity of discipline.  Christ is our perfect example. He was tempted in every way, but He stayed true to His calling and character.  He is the Son of God.  My son needs to realize that he has been transformed. He can't go back to being his old self.  II Corinthians 5:17 says,
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. He is made new.  The old has passed away.  The new has come.  By his actions these past few years, he thinks that a butterfly can become a caterpillar and vice versa -- back and forth like changing clothes.  We are trying to help him see that once a butterfly, you can't be a caterpillar again. 

Don't get me wrong. Isaiah is a wonderful son and a talented young man.  I love him dearly. 

Here are just a few pictures of him.

This is my son -- a loving and sweet kid.  But with the phone calls that I've been getting and the changes that I have seen, it's been a matter of great concern for me. But one thing I cling on to -- GOD IS SOVEREIGN.  He gave Isaiah life and He put Isaiah into my life. He is the Author and the Perfecter. He is the One who is molding and caring for Isaiah.  I walk by faith. I walk in trust.

Seek Him First!