Faith, Family and Fun

 

and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. ~ I Timothy 3:15 NKJV

Do you remember gathering together with your parents and siblings for family devotions? I remember Mom and Dad setting aside a time each night to read the Bible and pray as a family before we went to bed. The TV was off, the radio was off and there were no electronics to interfere. My parents were purposeful in making sure faith and family were top priorities in our lives. As we went about our daily lives other things might prompt Mom or Dad to say something to remind us of the things in the Bible. Dad always loved to take us fishing and tell us stories or ask us questions that made us think. Maybe because he was thinking too. On one occasion I remember him pointing out how red the moon was that night. Then he told us the moon would turn to blood before the end of the world. (Acts 2:20) It was like telling ghost stories only it was truth from the Bible. Now sixty years later I still remember that fishing trip and that truth.

A friend of mine shared a new family devotions book with me. It's not scary. It's fun things to help children remember in a hands on way of the Truth found in scripture.  Perhaps it can help us all to begin to share our faith with our young children. Cathy D. Dudley's Faith Family & Fun family devotions book is a collection of twelve devotions that can be used as monthly lessons plus an extra for Easter and Christmas. Each lesson begins with a story a young child might identify with such as a lost dog suddenly returning home after week. Then there are four headings that connect each story with Biblical truth.

 The Bible Tells Me So 

    A scripture to connect the story to a Bible verse.

Prayer

    A prayer to connect the family to the Lord.

Activity

    A hands-on activity to imprint the lesson in the child's daily life.

Everyday Living

    A way to live out the truths the child has learned. 

Then there's the coloring page. Each devotion offers a coloring page for the child to recall the story again, reinforcing the lesson taught. 

Though there is only one for each month, parents can use that lesson in a variety of ways throughout the month so the story, the lesson, is not just a one-and-done devotion. 

Heavenly Father, help us tell our children, show our children, and reinforce to our children, Your love for each of us through stories, daily life, and fun because You are the One who brings us joy. In Jesus's name. Amen.

Matters of the Heart

 

And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us. ~Luke 9:49,50 

There is always some sort of controversy going on in the church. When I was growing up it was the length of a guy's hair. Later it was whether women could wear pants. Music is still controversial and now I'm seeing things pop up about wearing our best. I'd like for you to think back a little to the time of our grandparents. Let's say the 1920's.

Teaching Life's Parables

 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. Deuteronomy 6: 7 (ESV)

 It’s not unusual for a family pet to wander off.  We lost our dog a few months ago. We called him.  We searched the neighborhood. We asked the neighbors. Finally, a neighbor suggested we look on the website for animal control. There was his picture so we phoned to find out how to retrieve him. We had less than twenty-four hours to claim him without cost. It was over an hour's drive to the shelter. We had no supper and it was already dark. We couldn’t just let him go. When we arrived we found him scared, without his collar, and ready to leave. We loaded him into the truck and drove home. Here was a moment for us to seize. A moment to teach our children about the parable of the lost sheep. They could relate to the feelings of the shepherd. The relief of the sheep when it was found and taken home on the shepherd’s shoulders. All we needed to do was ask, “Do you remember the parable we read about the lost sheep?” (Luke 15) for a meaningful conversation.  

Taking this example again, if we hadn’t read this parable when the incident happened we might have later read it with our children. That’s when we might have asked, “Do you remember when we lost our dog?” Either way, children can make the connections of scripture to their daily lives.

When daily Bible study is a part of our family’s routine, those teachable moments are easily seen. We can facilitate our children’s learning by allowing them to make the relationships of the scriptures they already know to their daily lives. Facilitating their learning rather than simply telling them the answers allows them to think through and imprint truth in their hearts. They are retelling the scripture and their experience. Yes, as a parent or grandparent we are there to fill in the gaps, but our children need to do most of the thinking and speaking to hold onto and personalize the truth of God’s word.

 Anything and everything can be used to teach our children. Jesus spoke in parables. The parables were about the things in the everyday life of the Jewish people. He spoke to them about sheep, and seeds, and making bread. Our children have similar experiences that we can use to teach God’s truths. 

First, our children need to know God’s word through daily family Bible study.

Blessings for your family,

Gail