Click Here – 1 Samuel 4:11-22.
It was a truly dark day for the Hebrews. They had lost the battle. The Ark of the Covenant was captured. Their priest and his two sons died, fulfilling the prophecy that God had given to Samuel. Don’t skim over the name of Eli’s new-born grandson – Ichabod. Remember that name in the time of the Old Testament were very significant. Icabod means “no glory” since it seemed to most people that God had taken away His glory from His people.
It might be easy to look at this narrative and moralize it something like this: “See what happens when you don’t raise your children right! They will become the death of you!” While there is some truth in that statement (If we discipline our children, chances are that they will grow to be more disciplined as adults), it can also be misused. There are times when a child who was raised in the LORD rejects his faith and Christian upbringing later in life. Often the blame is unfairly placed on the parent “If they had been better parents, this wouldn’t have happened…”
Even if we could be perfect parents (we can’t) we still live in a fallen world, where the evil one is trying to lead astray the faithful. My suggestion: Simply raise your children in the ways and Word of the Lord, and continue to pray for them throughout their lives, even (especially) if they seem to have rejected the faith. Don’t focus on your mistakes. Focus on the forgiveness Christ always has for every mistake we make.