Family Mattersনমুনা
Pouring God Into Our Children
“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”—Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NKJV)
By Lisa Tchvidijian
My husband and I had three children in our first three years of marriage, and as a young mother, this passage of Scripture felt overwhelming. How was I supposed to teach my children all the words that were commanded when I could barely get them fed and bathed each day?
In addition, the verses say I was to be teaching my children from morning to night! Really? How?
Then one day my husband explained something to me that made these verses a lot easier to swallow. They aren’t about time or the quantity. They’re about consistency. My husband calls it the drip. Just little bits of God’s Word every day. A verse, a song, words of affirmation, God’s creation, God’s perspective, or even just God’s love. Jesus is the Word of God. He is what I need to drip into my children every day.
The chores, the discipline, the education, and the activities can consume family life, and we can quickly forget how powerful the Word of God is in the lives of our children. It is the foundation for the rest of their lives. It impacts every decision, every choice, and every relationship they will ever have. Our children will never be perfect. They are sinners just like their parents. But as parents, we need to give them a moral compass for life. We need to teach them that the wisdom of God will always win against the wisdom of the world. As parents, our job is to point our kids to God, reminding them daily how much they are loved and what an amazing plan God has for their lives.
My three littles ones are now adults with families of their own. I sat in my son’s house recently and listened as he put his daughter to bed. I heard him singing the same songs I sang to him. I heard him pray with her as I had prayed with him. I heard him say, “Jesus put angels around your bed,” just as I had said to him every night when I walked out of his bedroom. And as I listened, I realized that all those drips of God that I had poured into him were now being poured into my precious granddaughter. How could I ask for anything more?
DIG: Think about new and creative ways you can drip God’s Word into the children who God has brought into your life.
DISCOVER: Drip the Word of God into a child’s life.
DISPLAY: Encourage a friend to drip God’s Word into a child as well.
Scripture
About this Plan
What does God’s Word have to say about raising a healthy family? Discover a plan for your family that not only follows God’s design, but also brings joy, contentment, and a sense of purpose. Learn how to develop confidence and character in your child while helping him or her grow into a competent adult.
More