Daily Devotional For Friday, July 19, 2024
Congratulations! You made it to Friday. As the weekend approaches and Sunday is just around the corner, I want to share a passage with you from the Old Testament. Look at Deuteronomy 6:6-9:
“Always remember these commands I give you today. (7) Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and walk along the road. Talk about them when you lie down and when you get up. (8) Write them down and tie them to your hands as a sign. Tie them on your forehead to remind you. (9) Write them on your doors and gates” (NLT).
As you read this, what stands out to you? God is very clear here. Discipleship starts in the home. It is the parents’ responsibility to teach their children spiritually and lead them to faith in God. It is not the church’s primary responsibility. It is not the children’s pastor’s/workers’ or the youth pastor’s/workers’ primary responsibility. This means that parents must be godly, Christ followers who are in their own discipleship with Christ. You cannot teach or pass on what you yourself do not possess or believe or live out.
The old adage some parents may say, “Do as I say, not what I do,” really does not hold water with children. Children see right through the hypocrisy and inconsistency. Children are not looking for perfection, just godly guidance. This means as parents we must know God’s commandments and take them into our hearts. We have to be a student of God’s Word and we must be intentionally living it out in our lives.
This also means we must teach them with enthusiasm and energy, not as if they are a drudgery or drag. And this teaching has to be on-going. Yes, some lessons can’t be taught, but only caught. But when it comes to the spiritual well-being of our children, they get firsthand experience from both us, their parents. This means we cannot leave this responsibility to someone else.
This is why family devotions are important and family discussions about spiritual issues are important. Every issue is spiritual. It is not just financial, relational or educational. It is spiritual and as parents we must guide our children. If we fail to do that, others will. To “tie them on your forehead” and “write these on your doors and gates” means to be intentionally living out your faith in Christ in your home, where it is harder. We tend to drop our guard and are different with family than with some friends and even church members.
We want our children to understand the ways of God, the necessity of discipleship and the will to live these out in their own lives so they can meet and overcome the challenges and temptations in this world. This means we lovingly explain God’s boundaries and not just say, “Because I say so.” Such an attitude creates a desire to rebel. In Moses' day, writing these commands of God on the gate also meant determining who was allowed to come through the gate and into the house. This was God’s way of saying that our homes are sanctuaries, not just a house to live in through life.
Questions To Consider
- When it comes to your home, who primarily does the spiritual teaching to your children? If you do not have any, who did it in the home you grew up in as a child?
- God is very clear in Deuteronomy 6:6-9. Discipleship starts in the home. It is the parents’ responsibility to disciple their own children. Why do you think so many parents leave that to either the children or youth workers in their church?
- Do you agree that we cannot pass on that which we have not received? Why or why not? How does this apply to discipling our own children?
- If you are a parent, do you have spiritual discussions with your children and show them from God’s Word why they should either think or go in a certain direction? Why or why not?
- Would you say that your home is a sanctuary? Why or why not? If not, what do you think it would take to make it one?
Scripture To Meditate On: Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it?” (ESV).
Prayer To Pray: “Heavenly Father, forgive me for when my perspective or priorities did not align with Your directive to teach my children about You. Rather than expect others to teach or reach those in my influence, help me obey You to diligently help the next generation know You and Your truth so they can honor you with their lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
I love you Southside!—Pastor Kelly