The goal of these posts was really just to give parents, and others, a toolbox for giving their children (and maybe themselves) something of spiritual substance in this time where the church cannot gather together for our usual times of learning and prayer and fellowship. The home is the epicenter of spiritual growth. A church can have a great, life-saving impact on a person, but the teaching and modeling that one gets at home is more consistent and more formative.
The home is the epicenter of spiritual growth.
That can feel like a lot of pressure for parents, and it probably should. Our spiritual well-being is a state that will echo into eternity and so, even though the ultimate decisions are not up to parents, we ought to do everything we can to introduce those in our care to Christ.
That begs the question…How? I have thus far stayed away from giving prescriptions for spiritual growth in a family, while giving a few specifics about what we do at our house. That is intentional. I do not believe that one size fits all. Nor do I have all the answers, but I do know that God has made promises to His people.
Here are two. The first comes from Isaiah 55:10-11
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
Isaiah 55:10-11
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
The big thing to hear in this passage is right there in the middle: so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose… The Word of the LORD is powerful and when it goes out, as the rain and snow from the heavens, it does what it is made to do. As surely as God is faithful in bringing blooms from the rains (“April showers bring May flowers”), He is faithful in making sure that His Word saturates the souls of those people that He is calling to Himself. As parents, and as spiritual leaders, are we dispensing God’s Word as confidently as a cloud gives forth rain?
It is not your eloquence in reading the Bible, or your skill in applying it, ultimately, that makes someone grow.
It is not your eloquence in reading the Bible, or your skill in applying it, ultimately, that makes someone grow (though we should certainly strive to be skillful). God’s Word speaks for itself and is plenty effective without a fancy presentation. Whether you are starting out with a children’s Bible or a paraphrase or the King James, the Word of God should be a part of what you do as a family. Whatever discussion or memorization, or lack thereof, fits your family’s needs right now, God has promised that His Word will bear good fruit for His glory if we let that Word rain over those He has placed in our care.
A second promise from God pertains to prayer (Luke 11:10-13):
For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
(Luke 11:10-13)
There is a lot to look at in this passage in terms of prayer, but there are at least two big things that should comfort us as we try and lead our family in prayer. First, God is a good Father, who delights to give us good things. That means that when we pray, our Father hears us and gives us just what we need. A good Father gives good gifts. Secondly, God is a giving Father. That is to say that He delights in answering prayers. What an amazing experience it is as a family when God answers a prayer that has been prayed out loud together as a group. Want to see God at work in your lives? Pray for things you need as a family and watch Him answer. It’s a glorious thing when a family gets to marvel at God’s provision together through an answered prayer.
Read the Bible, pray, and your family will grow. It might seem simple, and that’s because it is.
Read the Bible, pray, and your family will grow. It might seem simple, and that’s because it is. You are certainly not limited to only doing these things, but they stand at the center of God’s promises as those means of His Grace that, when attended to regularly, produce the fruit that He intends. Songs, object lessons, catechisms, and other things can go a long way as well. But be encouraged – whatever you are doing, or will do, it is far better than being paralyzed by fear or uncertainty.
Some nights it’s hard to get everyone together and to calm them down enough to feel like we can do anything of substantial spiritual value with our children. I can say with confidence though that, almost every night since Addie was born, we sing our children to sleep with the words of “Jesus Loves Me.” If nothing else, for all the things we haven’t read, reread, prayed or memorized, I know that my family has heard those wonderful words of truth almost 2,000 times. No matter what the day has been like, as we tuck them in, as surely as brushing teeth or cutting off the lights, they have ringing in their ears the truth that they have a true Bible and a strong Savior that loves them.
But be encouraged – whatever you are doing, or will do, it is far better than being paralyzed by fear or uncertainty.