Oct. 25, 2009 - MAKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOUR CHILDREN A PRIORITY
MAKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOUR CHILDREN A PRIORITY
With all the good and necessary tasks and opportunities that demand our attention each
day, we need to prayerfully consider what God wants us to do with our time. When
we struggle with the constant act of balancing other responsibilities with the
clear responsibility to nurture relationships within the family, it is good to
remember what God has to say about our priorities.
We must remember that we are responsible to build relationships.
God has commanded us to disciple our children. To do this, we must
have strong, healthy relationships with them.
“And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul,
and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be
in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest
in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”
(Deuteronomy 6:5-7)
We must believe God when He says that our relationship with Him is demonstrated through our
relationship with people. We express our love for God by how we love those made in His image.
“And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.” (1 John 4:21)
“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all
thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour
as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31)
We must treasure the opportunity and privilege that God has given us to display His love as we
lay down our lives for our children, spending time with them, discipling
them, loving them, and teaching them God’s Word.
“Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and
we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s
good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his compassion
from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?” (1 John 3:16-17)
We must remember that love is demonstrated through actions! We must invest time and
energy building a foundation of love and trust that leads our children to welcome and value
our instruction.
“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”
(1 John 3:18)
We must remember that the season of childrearing is short! Use it well!
“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12)
“As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.”
(Psalm 103:15)
From: http://www.doorposts.com/
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