Back To…

Sep 19

Written By Janet

Well, the kids are back in school and Fall Ministries have kicked off.

Kirby is getting a chance to slow down after an unexpectedly busy end to his summer and getting ready for a very busy October.

I’m sure Kirby isn’t the only one who is anticipating a busy schedule this fall. Many parents who want to help their children learn to spend time in God’s Word and in prayer are probably wondering how they can possibly fit one more thing into their schedule along with school, homework, sports, and other extra-curricular activities. I would like to offer a few basic suggestions to help with this timeless challenge.

Deuteronomy 6:5-9 says “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 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. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” I’m not a scholar by any means but I think we can pull some very helpful ideas from all the “shalls” in these verses:

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

The first step in teaching your children to love the Lord and spend time with Him, I believe, is to model it. If you truly love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and strength, your life will show it and your kids will see that spending time in God’s Word and in prayer is important to you. A couple of sayings come to mind. Some people say that “more is caught than taught” or “actions speak louder than words.” John 13:35 shows support for these sayings – “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

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…

I willing to guess that you talk about and teach a lot of things to your children. If your family is involved in sports, you are probably talking about technique, sportsmanship, and game schedules. If your family likes to spend time outside, you probably talk about hunting, fishing, conservation, or other things to do outside. You understand what I’m saying… If you have God’s Word in your heart, you should be talking about it and teaching it to your children too. Psalm 119:11 says “'Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.” Isn’t that what you really want for your children?

You’re probably saying, about now, that all sounds great and I really want to do that but I just don’t know how to fit it in. I have a feeling that the Israelites may have had busy schedules too. Look at the wisdom in the times and places they were told to talk about them. Before we move on, let me preface these ideas with one very important disclaimer – I am in now way suggesting that you should be “preaching at” your children or “going overboard” with any of this. You don’t want to turn them off to things of the Lord and children can spot a phony from a mile away.

…when you sit in your house,

Very practically, you can talk about things like why you’re choosing one movie over another based on what would please God, the way Jesus wants us to deal with situations at work or school, how Jesus wants them to treat each other, or how we can show love to others around us. You just have to look for teachable moments that occur naturally in every day. And don’t forget about family devotions – studies show that eating dinner together has many advantages and it’s a good time to read the Bible and pray with your kids.

…when you walk by the way,

The Israelites walked everywhere they went. For us, it would be more like when you’re driving in the car. All those things that make your schedule so busy also provide lots of time in the car together. Use these times intentionally. You can pray for their day on the way to school, pray about the game – not that they’ll win but that they’ll reflect Jesus in the way they act, pray about anything at any time. You can use the time to learn Bible verses. Car time can be a good time for intentional conversations as the time is limited and the proximity is non-threatening.

…when you lie down,

Do you pray with your kids when you kiss them good night? Bedtime can also be a good time to teach them to do personal devotions.

…and when you rise up.

Depending on your schedules, morning is another good time for personal devotions but at the very least, start the day with a verse from the Bible and a prayer to thank the Lord for the day and seek His will for the day – put your day in His hands.

You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.

A quick Google search told me that frontlets are a decoration they wore on their forehead. For us this could be jewelry – like a purity ring for preteens and teens, a cross necklace, or other jewelry that will remind them throughout the day to stay close to God. It could also be t-shirts or even notebooks with designs or sayings that will inspire them and even give them an opportunity to share their faith – make sure they are prepared for that opportunity before you send them off.

You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

One of my favorite verses (I have about 100 of them) is Psalm 16:8. It says, “I have set the LORD continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” One way to keep the Lord continually before your children (as well as yourself) is to include Him in your décor. There are beautiful options for putting Bible verses and inspirational sayings on your walls and other things in your home where they will be seen and read on a regular basis – sometimes even subconsciously.

My children are all grown up. Some of these things I did well and others I wish I had. I would suggest that you start with one thing and add others as you go. Not only will it help make your children better prepared for living the Christian life but it will also help to improve and grow your relationship with your children.

If you need some ideas for helping your children with personal devotions, you can start with the daily verses on our website.

You can also enroll them in the mail club. They’ll get a devotional in the mail and earn exciting prizes when they complete it.