June 8, 2009
~Denise Grant
“The father of a righteous man has great joy; he who has a wise son delights in him.” Proverbs 23:24
Something To Think About:
~What is the greatest challenge you face as a parent?
~What is the greatest joy in your life as a parent?
~How often do you go to your Heavenly Father in prayer for your children?
After the children of Israel were delivered from slavery in Egypt, had passed through the long grueling journey of the wilderness, and were poised to move into the Promised Land, a great challenge was given to the fathers that would bless not only their own lives, but also the lives of the children and grandchildren.
May we, accept the same challenges God gave these parents:
Challenge #1: Be obedient – “These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.” Deuteronomy 6:1-2. There are no shortcuts on teaching the most important lessons in life. We have to model them. How can your child know unless YOU teach him/her? If you don’t – someone else will.
Challenge #2: Pursue God’s truth – “Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, promised you.” Deuteronomy 6:3-4. In a society that celebrates moral relativism, we seem surprised when our children can’t distinguish between right and wrong. Do you pursue truth by honoring God and His Word?
Challenge #3: Love God – “ Love the Lord your god with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.” Deuteronomy 6:5-6. Raising great kids is really about being who God wants us to be. Do your kids know how much you love God? Do they hear you lift their names to God in prayer?
Challenge #4: Teach God’s Word – “Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:7-9. Do you read Bible stories to your kids? Do you make the time to share God’s Word at Breakfast and/or before bed? Do they see you obey God’s commandments?
Challenge #5: Don’t follow false gods – “Fear the Lord your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name. Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land.” Deuteronomy 6: 13-15. Even 5,000 years later, we are still faced with the temptation to follow false gods – gods of materialism and pleasure and success. Your children need to see a parent who is faithful to the One and only True God!
As you commit your parenting efforts to the Lord, He gives you the grace and ability to bless your children in special, powerful ways.
“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:6
God Will:
Crown your efforts with success – “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16:3
Make you more like Christ – “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” Romans 8:29
Reveal Himself to you as you love your children – “…Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” Matthew 25:21
Turn your kids’ hearts toward you – “He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.” Malachi 4:6
You may be facing an uphill battle in your childrearing efforts. But with time, patience, consistency, humility and a complete trust in God, you can successfully accomplish the task God entrusted to you and point your children’s hearts back to Him.
Heavenly Father,
I know that You care more about my kids even than I do. Help me every day to live a Godly example so they see You in me. Help me always point my children to You so that one day, we will all spend eternity in heaven together.In Your precious name Jesus, Amen!
Denise Grant - Just "clay" in the Master Potter's hands.
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