A friend asked me to write a letter for his son’s 13th birthday, encouraging him as he enters a new season of growth as a man. Here’s what I shared.
Happy birthday! I’m honored to join in the celebration of your life. The thoughts I’ve written below are originally the Apostle Paul’s, inspired by the Holy Spirit, written to Timothy. I have learned them all to be true; since they are divine words, I know they will be life-giving for you too. The original is far better — read 1 Timothy and you’ll see what I mean — but I hope and pray that the words I’ve used below point you to Jesus all the same.
Every true thing you know, learn about, or hear from Jesus will lead you to love Him more. Pursue that love, which will inevitably work itself out in obedience to His commands.
Study the lives of those who have already run the race you’re running now. You won’t face the same situations they did but you have the advantage of following the same God they followed. Imitate their reckless dependence on God’s provision, their stubborn insistence on righteous living, their passionate commitment to building His Kingdom on earth. If you don’t know where to start, you can’t go wrong with a good biography on George Mueller.
Pray. Pray often, pray consistently, pray out loud, pray in silence, pray in laughter, pray in tears. Pray for others, pray for yourself. Pray the Psalms, pray like Jesus, pray like the apostles. Pray your desires (John 15:7), pray His will (Matthew 6:10). Pray with words, pray even when words fail you (Romans 8:26). A well-developed prayer life in the secret place is more than a compass that tells you which way is correct — it actively steers you back into alignment with God.
Prioritize character and conduct over position and title. Godliness is not a synonym for a boring life! You may have already “tasted and seen” that the Lord is good. But you will find that to taste more and see greater, there may be things you have to give up. That is not loss nor is it legalism. You will find that Jesus provides rewards greater than whatever you left behind to pursue Him.
Godliness is not a status to earn, it’s a muscle to exercise. Work it out in different settings — the way you talk, the way you walk, the way you love, the way you think. Remind yourself often of the things God did for you in the past and the promises He has already spoken. It is up to Him to fulfill His word but it is up to you to be a willing vessel. Only God could have caused Mary to give birth to Jesus but only Mary could have obediently yielded herself to that promise. No one else can obey for you!
The greatest commandment is to love God. The second greatest is to love His people. You can only truly love other people through His love. Do not attempt to reverse that order! You will never be able to love another person better than God loves them, so you might as well love them His way. A good way to check your love — and grow your love — for another person is to pray for them. Ask God for His best for that person and, if He directs you, demonstrate His love toward them in your actions.
Ask the Holy Spirit to keep your desires in check. A pastor I know used to say, “The devil will never tempt me with cheesecake because I hate cheesecake.” It may not be cheesecake for you but it might be something else — even something that’s otherwise good. (For example, when the devil tempted Jesus, he tried to convince Jesus to prove that He was the Son of God. That doesn’t sound like a bad thing but Jesus didn’t fall for it!) The enemy does not play fair; but the good news is, you don’t have to play on his terms. You serve the Commander of Heaven’s Armies — if you stay on His side, you’ve won before the fight even starts.
The journey you have ahead of you — your teens, twenties, and beyond — is a precious gift from a generous Father. That means you are loved beyond your understanding and lavished beyond your wildest dreams! May your days and years be filled with constant reminders of His affection toward you. Welcome to the future!
Sincerely,
