In the fall of 2007, the kids and I brought home two six-week old black lab puppies. Over the next few months, they grew - into rather large puppies and into our hearts. I have trouble remembering what it was like before they
became entwined in our lives. But not so my husband. Although he has a very tender heart towards animals, it took him a long time to bond with these puppies. It was too much of a risk for him. He has lost too many dogs and the emotional toll was not something he casually wanted to subject himself to. So he avoided building a relationship with the puppies.
One morning, he woke me at 5:15 just before he left for work. Heʼd let the puppies out on the porch. They had
opened the gate (Did I mention theyʼre very smart?), and they were gone. And they wouldnʼt come back when he
called. Since he had to leave for work, he asked if Iʼd come down and find the puppies. I grabbed a couple of
treats (which heʼd also tried) and headed outside. I called “Velvet!” twice before I heard the tell-tale thundering of footfalls across the porch on the opposite side of the house. They were so glad to see me - turning their bodies into one big tail that threatened to knock me, and each other, over. Ron said, disgustedly, “They are your dogs. They sure wouldnʼt come for me.” I looked at him and said, “You donʼt have a relationship with them.”
Itʼs all about relationship, isnʼt it? Whether youʼre talking about dogs, or your spouse, or your kids, or your
co-workers, or your friends. It all boils down to relationship. And itʼs that way with God too. You know that prayer is important. Itʼs part of a real relationship with our God, the Great God of the Universe, who also happens to be our Father, if weʼve taken that step of repentance and are experiencing conversion. You know that your relationship with Him improves if you spend more time in prayer, Bible study, meditation, fasting, and fellowship with like believers. You experience more peace and contentment when you actively seek Him and willingly submit to what you see in His word.
But sometimes we donʼt connect all the dots. We miss seeing a big connection in helping our children to know God. Oh, we take them to church. We read the Bible with them. We make them memorize the Ten Commandments and memory verses every day. Still, we agonize over whether they will choose God when push comes to shove, when they are no longer in our home, when they are on the threshold of their adult life.
I think itʼs still about relationship. You, first, have to have a good relationship with your Heavenly Father. He has to be an integral part of your life, one that your children see. It has to be a relationship where they see you making the hard choices to follow God when it would be so easy to do something else. They have to see you ready to go to God in prayer at any time during the day. They have to see you living in a way that glorifies God. Then your children know that God is important, important enough for you to submit to Him so wonderful that you couldnʼt imagine it any other way.
Secondly, when you want your children to know God, you have to have a great relationship with them. What good does it do to have a great relationship with God if you ignore or neglect your children? And really, if youʼre doing that, maybe youʼd ought to rethink how great your relationship with God truly is. Part of having a solid relationship with God is following His will. And if you have children, His will is that you would have a close relationship with them.
That leads directly into the third point about relationship. You need to tell your children that God wants a relationship with them, that they are princes and princesses of the King of the Universe, and that He cares for them. Model for them how to go to God with cares and concerns. Talk to them about Godʼs way when you lie down and when you rise up. Show them how to read the Bible and how to use a concordance. Explain scriptures to them so they will understand. Your goal is to have your children in Godʼd kingdom with you. I know it is! But itʼs a process of building relationship. You want to have the kind of relationship so your children will come when you call. You want to have the kind of relationship so your children will come when God calls.
became entwined in our lives. But not so my husband. Although he has a very tender heart towards animals, it took him a long time to bond with these puppies. It was too much of a risk for him. He has lost too many dogs and the emotional toll was not something he casually wanted to subject himself to. So he avoided building a relationship with the puppies.
One morning, he woke me at 5:15 just before he left for work. Heʼd let the puppies out on the porch. They had
opened the gate (Did I mention theyʼre very smart?), and they were gone. And they wouldnʼt come back when he
called. Since he had to leave for work, he asked if Iʼd come down and find the puppies. I grabbed a couple of
treats (which heʼd also tried) and headed outside. I called “Velvet!” twice before I heard the tell-tale thundering of footfalls across the porch on the opposite side of the house. They were so glad to see me - turning their bodies into one big tail that threatened to knock me, and each other, over. Ron said, disgustedly, “They are your dogs. They sure wouldnʼt come for me.” I looked at him and said, “You donʼt have a relationship with them.”
Itʼs all about relationship, isnʼt it? Whether youʼre talking about dogs, or your spouse, or your kids, or your
co-workers, or your friends. It all boils down to relationship. And itʼs that way with God too. You know that prayer is important. Itʼs part of a real relationship with our God, the Great God of the Universe, who also happens to be our Father, if weʼve taken that step of repentance and are experiencing conversion. You know that your relationship with Him improves if you spend more time in prayer, Bible study, meditation, fasting, and fellowship with like believers. You experience more peace and contentment when you actively seek Him and willingly submit to what you see in His word.
But sometimes we donʼt connect all the dots. We miss seeing a big connection in helping our children to know God. Oh, we take them to church. We read the Bible with them. We make them memorize the Ten Commandments and memory verses every day. Still, we agonize over whether they will choose God when push comes to shove, when they are no longer in our home, when they are on the threshold of their adult life.
I think itʼs still about relationship. You, first, have to have a good relationship with your Heavenly Father. He has to be an integral part of your life, one that your children see. It has to be a relationship where they see you making the hard choices to follow God when it would be so easy to do something else. They have to see you ready to go to God in prayer at any time during the day. They have to see you living in a way that glorifies God. Then your children know that God is important, important enough for you to submit to Him so wonderful that you couldnʼt imagine it any other way.
Secondly, when you want your children to know God, you have to have a great relationship with them. What good does it do to have a great relationship with God if you ignore or neglect your children? And really, if youʼre doing that, maybe youʼd ought to rethink how great your relationship with God truly is. Part of having a solid relationship with God is following His will. And if you have children, His will is that you would have a close relationship with them.
That leads directly into the third point about relationship. You need to tell your children that God wants a relationship with them, that they are princes and princesses of the King of the Universe, and that He cares for them. Model for them how to go to God with cares and concerns. Talk to them about Godʼs way when you lie down and when you rise up. Show them how to read the Bible and how to use a concordance. Explain scriptures to them so they will understand. Your goal is to have your children in Godʼd kingdom with you. I know it is! But itʼs a process of building relationship. You want to have the kind of relationship so your children will come when you call. You want to have the kind of relationship so your children will come when God calls.
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