Let’s Pause to Pray
Last week, I said I would finish writing about #2 – consistency in correcting your child, and I will at some point, but first, I want to share several principles from Psalm 78: 1-7, which speak to our mission at Redeemer. I hope these verses impact your parenting as well.
I am certain you pray for your children; however, I wonder if you pray for yourself as it relates to Psalm 78 verse 4. Do you demonstrate with your actions and speak to your children about the goodness and faithfulness of God? We began our book study last week with Melissa Kruger’s book, 5 Things to Pray for your Kids. As we read and studied Psalm 78: 1-7, we learned five things to pray for ourselves as we share the goodness of God with our children or grandchildren: listen, tell, teach, trust, remember.
Psalm 78: 1 tells us, as parents, to listen to God’s teaching by reading His Word. Justin Earley in Habits of the Household says, “Our best parenting comes when we think less about being a parent of children and more about being children of God.” How are you allowing God to parent you? A good place to start is by reading and meditating on His Word. Pause and pray for God to give you a listening ear as you read and respond to His Word. Perhaps you need to begin by praying for God to give you a desire to prioritize your time for the reading of Scripture. Attentiveness of the mind is required; we are bombarded with noise and distractions.
Psalm 78:4 implores us to tell the next generation the praise-worthy deeds of the Lord. How often do you tell your children to pick up their shoes, help a younger sibling, use kind words, on and on, and rightly so. But how often do you speak to them about the glorious things He has done? I realize this is a challenge in the busyness of your day, but try writing this reminder on a post it note. We use that little invention for everything else, why not for this? At dinner, tell a story from the OT about the glorious deeds of the Lord – His power and faithfulness. Better yet, speak out of your own life. Look back in your family of origin and discover how God showed Himself strong and did amazing deeds, or tell your child how God worked in your life today! My dad was a farmer; he never tilled the soil on Sunday since it was his day of rest. Time and again, I witnessed how God provided rain at the most critical time for the crops; this is just one example of God’s faithfulness, and praise was given to God. Pause and pray for God to remind you to tell your children about the praise-worthy deeds of the Lord. It is a habit worth cultivating.
Psalm 78: 5 and Deuteronomy 4:9 tells us not to forget what your eyes have seen and teach them to your children and your children’s children. Do you read the Bible and/or books with Bible stories? Pause and pray that as you teach biblical truth, your children will listen and learn. Retell those stories over and over. Children love repetition and familiarity.
Psalm 78: 7 tells us to trust God in our hardships. As we look back and remember God’s deeds – in Scripture and in our own lives – pause and pray for God to revive your own heart as you trust Him and remember His glorious deeds. Begin benchmarking your own “Ebenezer stones” as you recall the Lord’s faithfulness in Scripture. Read 1 Samuel 7:10-12 and Joshua 4:21-24.
Perhaps do this: get a sticky note and write, listen, tell, teach, trust, remember. Place the note(s) around your home and in your car to serve as reminders of Psalm 78. Pray that you will share the goodness of God with your children as you go about your day.
