Who or What is Receiving your Worship?
Deut. 6:4-9 (ESV)
"...The LORD our God, the LORD is one.
You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your might.
And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.
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.
You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
As you grow in your walk with Christ you realize the bible doesn't verbally ask the question: "Should I force my children to go to church or allow them to make their own choice." But it's kind of like growing up with my parents.
I had great parents, they were steady. When they said "No" to one thing, it would still be "No" tomorrow. At times my mind was too young to really understand why they said "No" but as I grew-up within their house I saw consistency and a pattern of what they felt would be wrong and right. As I grew older I had to ask fewer questions because I would automatically know that my parents would think "Such and such" was a wrong choice.
That's also how it is with God. I don't have to ask Him if dabbling in witchcraft is wrong, He doesn't waiver. If it was wrong then and it is wrong now.
As parents we need to be unwaivering. Not be manipulated with reasoning given by a child in whom God has entrusted us with their lives. When God commanded the Israelites to teach your children diligently, when they stand up, as they walk, as they lay down, He didn't implicate to do it as we see fit. Immediately the only way for this to happen as God commands is for it to be the out pour of our lives.
Luke 6:45
The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.
When God is in His rightful place in your life, you can't help but talk about Him all day, you want His words on your doorpost, you want to show and teach your children every moment they are in your home and more than my own Life I Want My Children to Know To Love GOD with their All!
As I said last time there is no way to address all of this in one post. The question is a false dichotomy. If I'm asking the question in the first place there is a lot underlying that question that would need to be addressed first.
So I'm asking the question: Who or What is receiving your worship?
(What you worship is going to be what is emphasized as you sit, lay down and walk by the way side. It may even be written on your doorposts.)
I enjoy the thought provoking parenting questions. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing to me how many parents are afraid to stand up to their children, say "no", and teach truth to them. The reward are great, however, if you do it God's ways!
ReplyDeleteLori, I agree! The reward is Great but the road is hard, rough and bumpy. It is scary and hard to find the line between enforcer and enabler. Thats why it is crutial as parents, Just like God commands Joshua in Joshua 1, we do not look to the right or to the left. We do not allow ourselves to be swayed by cunning argument but by the Word of God. It is not easy! You HAVE to keep the Words of God on your heart and on your mind all day to keep from falling into the trap of pleasing your children out of trying not to create an enemy with them. Being a parent is the hardest call on anyones life and every decision we make should never be taken lightly. :) thank you for your thoughts :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a powerful and convicting message! As the mother of girls who range in ages between 20 and 4, I face this struggle every day. It is definitely not easy! The 'worldly wisdom' they are fed by outside influences is a thing I battle with all the time and , yes, they do try to use 'reasoning' to get around my values at times.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this very challenging post!
I agree with Lisa Maria -- there are a lot of societal influences out there battling against God's teachings and my struggle to convey them to my children. Perseverance is key!
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