Isaiah 54:13

"And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children."
NKJ

Why does this verse speak to me as I attempt to raise my son with Aspergers Syndrome?

For me, this promise brings me peace to know that God has the peace of my children in mind. Let's face it; raising children with disabilities and special needs is stressful. Will my son be able to handle deviations from his routine without a screaming meltdown if I have to run out for milk? Or if something even more serious happens, like the death of a parent, how will he cope? Raising a child with special needs is often heartbreaking. Overcoming one obstacle can take months or years, only for another to surface. Victory over social challenges in my son's case lead to trouble in school for too much socializing, for example. But God promises that our children will have peace. Great peace, actually. That is a promise that I find greatly comforting and relevant. One of God's names is Jehovah Shalom, the Lord our peace. He IS our peace when circumstances blaze like wildfire. If we cultivate that relationship of faith in God with our children, we give them a connection with the One who promises to be their peace farther than our parental, earthly influence can reach.

But the first part really grabs me. "All your children will be taught of the Lord."

I have a son for whom academics, socializing, music, and just about everything came easy. He was a laid back kid, always smiling. I didn't have the worries for his future that I do for son #2. Questions plague me for his future.

Will he be able to grasp the subtle nuance of interaction among a competitive office or work environment? Can I impart the skills he needs to prepare him for the real world? How many hours will it take tonight for my son to "get" the math homework? I can grow a complex faster than kudzu when the burden falls on my shoulders. How can any of us rise to the gargantuan task of teaching and preparing for every possibility? Kids with Aspergers are pretty concrete. If you say ABCD, you had better not change it to DABC. They don't handle the unknown very well without thorough preparation, such as social stories. (we'll discuss Caroline Grey's Social stories on an upcoming post).

This is where that promise swoops in like a caped superhero. God will teach our children. He designed their minds and bodies, and he holds the manufacturer's manual. He knows how they learn. If we pray, He can give us strategies. But even better, He can orchestrate the right circumstances, people, places and impressions to impart the needful information. Thank God for an infinite God!