Faith in Parenting

As you might imagine, my husband didn’t really have time to go shopping for souvenirs in Africa!  So he brought back different rocks for each of us, and he wrote “Psalm 18:2″ on them.  “The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

This is an easy verse to memorize and then build into a spur-of-the moment devotion with your kids.  Sometime when you’re taking a walk, hiking, or skipping rocks into a steam, talk about what the Lord means to you personally, how He’s proven himself to be your Rock, your Deliverer, and the One in whom you take refuge daily.  ~Amen!

This is a great verse to share with your kids the next time they express fear of the unknown.  Maybe your son is anxious about his first sleepover, or your daughter is worried about attending a new dance school.  Our kids enter into situations that are “new” to them all the time, but it’s not always comfortable.  Reminding them - and ourselves, for that matter! - that God himself goes ahead of them and will be with them is incredibly reassuring.

So the next time you’re presented with a “what if…” from one of your kids, consider sharing this verse and turning the moment into a quick One-Minute Devotional opportunity!

Don’t you just love kids’ questions? The other day, my 5-year-old asked me if I wished for her and her brother before they were born. And it led to such a neat conversation! I got to explain how much I prayed for each of them before they were born, and how I trusted God to use me to bring into the world the exact children He wanted me to raise. (And look - He did!)

It was also an ideal opportunity for incorporating these two verses, and turning her natural inquiry into a quick one-minute devotion opportunity.

You can do the same thing. The next time your kids spontaneously ask you about the day they were born, share with them how purposefully God created them, knitting each cell together until they grew into the little person they are right at this moment!

The verse Ephesians 4:32, Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you, is a great choice for a quick one-minute devotion because it’s so applicable to our daily lives. Once you have this verse in your mind, you’re going to find lots of situations where it just naturally applies, and - ideally - that’s the time to slip in your one-minute devotion. Right there in that teachable moment.

For example, let’s say your kids are arguing. Remind them that God wants us to be kind to another and forgive one another; and then ask them why they think that is. They might say, “Because He wants us to love one another,” or “Because he want us to get along.” That’s certainly true! But it’s also a good time to point out to our kids that forgiving one another is one way we can acknowledge the extent to which God has forgiven us.

Pretty easy, right? Because sharing Christ doesn’t have to be hard, and it doesn’t even have to be well-planned or come from a formal devotional book.  Simply put the message into your own words, and look for an opportunity to share it with your kids this week.

Blessings,

Jennifer

Ephesians 4:32 - Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Mom Tip: Imagine that there is a recording device capturing your words - and your tone - as you interact with your kids today. Practice being kind and compassionate, using a tone that is forgiving, rather than accusatory or exasperated. See how this one step - focusing on your tone of voice as you interact - affects your relationships. And when you feel yourself slipping into that negative voice, repeat this week’s memory verse in your mind: “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

You know, a lot of the things we need to do to keep our families running smoothly are really quite simple.  Sometimes we just need a quick reminder and some support and encouragement to transform our well-intentioned plans and ideas into reality.

In thinking about this, I’ve decided to create a new weekly “feature” here on the blog - Saturday’s Simple Suggestion.  Every Saturday, I’ll share a different idea related to raising our families.

This week’s suggestion is a simple family devotion idea that one of our church families shared with us on our church-wide retreat a couple of weeks ago.  Simply take one of your favorite passages and read it in two or three different Bible translations.  For example, try reading it in the New International Version, The Message, and the The Living Bible.

In particular, pay attention to how each version teaches you a new aspect of the passage, or expands your understanding of the text in some way.

And if your kids are old enough to read on their own, allow them to participate by reading one of the translations aloud.   Then discuss which version holds the most meaning for you personally, and consider memorizing it together as a family.

Do you have a “life verse?” If I had to choose one, I think I’d go with Proverbs 3:5-6. It’s one of the very first verses I memorized as a young believer.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

It’s a passage that has remained with me, one that gives me great encouragement and direction. It’s also a verse that I highlighted in children’s Bibles for both of my kids. One day I just sat down with my Bible, along with a couple of those pink and blue Precious Moments Bibles my children had received as gifts, and started highlighting some of my favorite passages for them.

It was a neat exercise, to think that if anything ever happened to me, which passages would I want them to know had been most important to me…

How about you? What verses mean the most to you, that you would want your children to have a record of?

Consider grabbing a highlighter and making some notes in a Bible for them, or sitting down and writing them a year-end letter that includes some of your favorite Scripture passages. It’s a great year-ending activity for all of you!

Consider, too, sharing your thoughts here in the comments area of the blog. I’d love to know which passages are most meaningful to you and your family.

Isaiah 9:2

The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.

Luke 2:30-32

For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all people,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel.

Reflections:

Doesn’t everything dark and frightening seem much better by the light of day? Think about a time when you were scared, or faced a huge problem - one so big it kept you from sleep. Once dawn breaks, that same issue often looks smaller and more manageable. There’s something about turning the light on - whether it’s a physical lamp by your bed, or the light of daybreak - that makes us feel more capable.

And how much more so the light of Jesus in our lives! See, He is THE Light. The light that makes all the difference!

John 8:12 tells us that “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’”

And Isaiah 60:20(b) tells us that “The LORD will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end”

Let’s also look at John 1:9-12

The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

Here we see that Jesus came to give light to every man (and woman). Not for some. Not for few. True, there may be few who will accept Jesus’ offer of salvation and truly follow Him, but His offer is for ALL.

Friends, that means that Christmas Day is for each and every one of us! And one common theme through all of these Advent devotions has been focusing on our response. Today, what is our response to this news? If Jesus came in to the world - fully human and yet fully God - to bring Light to our lives, to offer us hope, and peace, truth, and salvation, what is our response to Him? It’s a truth that’s too big to ignore, too huge to push aside or overlook.

Take some time today to get away - even for just a few minutes - and pray with God about your response. Don’t worry about having the right words or the right posture.  Your words don’t have to be lengthy or eloquent to count to Him! He’s ready, even right now, to listen to and accept your response to His most awesome gift - eternal life!

Luke 2:15-20

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

John 10:11

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Reflections:

When has your life gone exactly according to your plan? Can we even name one occasion, one family vacation, even one holiday gathering that went off without a hitch? It’s hard to come up with, isn’t it?

Fortunately, we’ve learned to be flexible and accommodate changes in our routines and plans. In fact, I think we almost expect something to go wrong. After all, we’ve become so accustomed to not having our expectations met, that when something goes smoothly, it’s surprising.

When I look at this passage, it occurs to me that perhaps the shepherds felt like that, too, to some extent. Why else would Luke point out that the shepherds praised God for all that they had seen and heard, and specifically mention that the events took place exactly as they’d been told they would?

It’s interesting. And it also reminds me that there’s another plan that won’t go awry, that you - like the shepherds - can share with others. It’s the story of how God is drawing you to Him, calling you to follow with all of your heart, mind, and soul. Do you sense it?

There are many names for Jesus in the Bible, and one of them is The Good Shepherd. That’s because He takes care of his sheep. How do we know if we’re one of His sheep? Well, in John 10:27, Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” Do we listen for Him? And do we respond to his voice?  Do our actions change as a result of knowing him?

Let’s think on that this season, for He is still calling, leading, and caring for us, just as a shepherd cares for his flock. The question is: How will we respond?

Lord, help us to hear your voice and take even just one step in the direction of following you with our whole hearts. We know you are there, gently and loving calling to us. Thank you for never giving up or turning away from your children. Amen.

Isaiah 52:7

How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”

Luke 2:8-14

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

Luke 4:18-19

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Listen again to these key words spoken by the angel of the Lord who appeared before the shepherds: “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” Not just some. The Good News of Jesus Christ is for all!

He came for each one of us. Not just for those who see to have it all together, or for those who attend church every Sunday or who can recite the Apostle’s Creed from heart. No, friends - He came for all.

John 10:10 tells us that Jesus came “…that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Look again at today’s passage from Luke chapter 4. What does the Lord wish to give you to today? Is it good news you need in order to press on for yet another day?  Freedom from the “prisons” of your everyday life?  Recovery of sight for those areas in our lives where we no longer see what’s right in front of us?  Or release from that which has a hold on you? See, He can do all that and more!  And that was the very purpose for which He entered this world as a baby - fully human and yet fully God.

Where can He meet your needs today, Mom? Where do you have need of Him in your life?  And are you willing to ask Him, to turn to Him, and to rely fully on Him?

Lord,  There are areas in our lives where we’re poor in spirit, held captive by our circumstances, blind to what you might want to show us, and oppressed. Yet you came to this earth to set us free from these restraints and give us new life. By your Spirit, move within us to turn away from that which holds us back and to believe more fully that you came to earth for each of us - yes, each one of us.

~Amen.