Today is one of those days, (actually it has been longer but I'm not really counting), when the presence of God has been so real in my life! Not a cymbal crashing, plowed over kind of real,(although I have witnessed those times too!) but a quiet, gentle, peaceful spirit kind of real! The kind that every thought you have you just feel covered! Every trial you face is being carried by Him. Every decision you make is made because you have taken the time to 'listen' to that still small voice and you just know that your decision was God filtered! I must tell you that unfortunately, I do not always have this! I get into MY ways and MY bad habits, and just plain don't even think about looking to Him! Selfishness, rebellion, and disobedience are just so on the surface sometimes!
I look at my kids and as I think about this peacefulness that I am having because of my Heavenly Father. Do they have that with me? Am I showing them that God is all the things I know He is? I know that our image of God is formed because of our parents and how we view them. (That can change once we draw closer to God.) For instance, my dad left my mom when I was very young and my step-sister once told me he left because I was born! So I grew up with the thought that I always had to do things to make sure God would love me and not abandon me! After all these years, I am finally grasping the idea that God is love and no matter what I do, He loves me and will not leave me! My past has left many scars, but God is good and He is showing me how to get past those by looking to Him. I have talked to my children about that so much and as far as I can see, they understand that God loves them and they don't approach Him with a lightning rod in His hand mentality! (The "strike" you down kind if you do something wrong!) Although we do need to teach our children the "fear" of the Lord, we need to do it in a biblical way by using His Word as our guide!
So, knowing that God is right beside me and guiding my every step, how do I guide them in that way? By example! When I am going through a trial, I share it with them and tell them how God led me out of it! When a neighbor is ill, or needing help, we reach out to them. When our own children are hurting or just want to talk, we LISTEN to them! (I struggle with this one sometimes!) God always listens to me and sometimes I bet I sound pretty ridiculous! :) The most important thing we can do for them is show them a love for the Word of God and have a relationship with Him! Not made of works, by telling them all the things they must do to show God their love, but just by being and dwelling with Him! I so often get caught up in all the things that my kids need to do in our home and I forget that sometimes I just need to BE with them and love on them for awhile! They need that from me! Just as I need that from God!
Colossians 2:20-23~ Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as thought living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations- "Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle," which all concern things which perish with the using - according to the commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. (in other words unless you have a relationship with Him, all the do's and don'ts will be stale religion.)
We NEED a relationship with Him! Then all the other things we are to do will fall into place! Just as I need to grasp my child's hearts! The motivation that they have to obey SHOULD be to please me not just a list of do's and don'ts so they don't get in trouble! The way I mold their hearts to that idea, is to BE there for them and appreciate them! Just as my heavenly Father does with me! A list of rules and regulations only causes guilt and condemnation and even bitterness, but a relationship with my children, gives them a freedom to love and please while they work! The heart is totally motivated by love not "religion"! If we truly love God, we desire to please Him and it SHOULD break our heart when we don't! That is what causes us to repent! May we draw our children to us so that they will draw close to God!
God~ today I thank you for being with me and loving me just because I was created to love you! Please help me to be that way with my children! Help me to grasp their hearts and that their motivation to do things for others would be because they desire to please me because they love me and in return please you and love you as they grow! May they always look to you, but help me be a vessel you work through while they are young so that their idea of who you are is not warped by my humanness! Thank you for the job you have given me and that you trust me! You are love!
I look at my kids and as I think about this peacefulness that I am having because of my Heavenly Father. Do they have that with me? Am I showing them that God is all the things I know He is? I know that our image of God is formed because of our parents and how we view them. (That can change once we draw closer to God.) For instance, my dad left my mom when I was very young and my step-sister once told me he left because I was born! So I grew up with the thought that I always had to do things to make sure God would love me and not abandon me! After all these years, I am finally grasping the idea that God is love and no matter what I do, He loves me and will not leave me! My past has left many scars, but God is good and He is showing me how to get past those by looking to Him. I have talked to my children about that so much and as far as I can see, they understand that God loves them and they don't approach Him with a lightning rod in His hand mentality! (The "strike" you down kind if you do something wrong!) Although we do need to teach our children the "fear" of the Lord, we need to do it in a biblical way by using His Word as our guide!
So, knowing that God is right beside me and guiding my every step, how do I guide them in that way? By example! When I am going through a trial, I share it with them and tell them how God led me out of it! When a neighbor is ill, or needing help, we reach out to them. When our own children are hurting or just want to talk, we LISTEN to them! (I struggle with this one sometimes!) God always listens to me and sometimes I bet I sound pretty ridiculous! :) The most important thing we can do for them is show them a love for the Word of God and have a relationship with Him! Not made of works, by telling them all the things they must do to show God their love, but just by being and dwelling with Him! I so often get caught up in all the things that my kids need to do in our home and I forget that sometimes I just need to BE with them and love on them for awhile! They need that from me! Just as I need that from God!
Colossians 2:20-23~ Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as thought living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations- "Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle," which all concern things which perish with the using - according to the commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. (in other words unless you have a relationship with Him, all the do's and don'ts will be stale religion.)
We NEED a relationship with Him! Then all the other things we are to do will fall into place! Just as I need to grasp my child's hearts! The motivation that they have to obey SHOULD be to please me not just a list of do's and don'ts so they don't get in trouble! The way I mold their hearts to that idea, is to BE there for them and appreciate them! Just as my heavenly Father does with me! A list of rules and regulations only causes guilt and condemnation and even bitterness, but a relationship with my children, gives them a freedom to love and please while they work! The heart is totally motivated by love not "religion"! If we truly love God, we desire to please Him and it SHOULD break our heart when we don't! That is what causes us to repent! May we draw our children to us so that they will draw close to God!
God~ today I thank you for being with me and loving me just because I was created to love you! Please help me to be that way with my children! Help me to grasp their hearts and that their motivation to do things for others would be because they desire to please me because they love me and in return please you and love you as they grow! May they always look to you, but help me be a vessel you work through while they are young so that their idea of who you are is not warped by my humanness! Thank you for the job you have given me and that you trust me! You are love!
