Deuteronomy 6:4-7
“Hear, O Israel: 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 to 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.”
Deuteronomy 6:4-7
Over the last couple of weeks, my husband and I have been blessed by a few extra visits with G.G., our children’s not quite 99-year-old great-grandmother. As we were leaving a visit on Tuesday evening, my husband asked me if I thought much about our own aging. I confessed that I do not spend much time thinking about the aging process, but I do often think about what we are passing on to the next generation. Now that our children are out of the house, Deuteronomy 6:4-7 looks different, but it is no less important. G.G. is a great example of what it means to be intentional about passing along the faith. She never misses an opportunity to share what God is doing in her life or the lives of those she cares about. She also takes an interest in knowing how she can pray for each one of us. Then, she follows up to see how God answered her prayers. There are also other indicators that demonstrate the importance she places on her relationship with Christ; her daily Bible, well worn, is always close by and open to the reading of the day. By witnessing her journey, our family is inspired to not only passionately pursue the Lord but to be intentional about passing along our faith.
I recently read that our calendar reveals not only our love and pursuit of God, but it also exposes our priorities related to the people in our lives. As the school year moves on and summer fades, busyness tends to creep in and distract us from making the most of the small moments that speak volumes to our children. Meaningful relationships take time. According to research about Gen Z and faith, young people are seeking truth and authentic relationships. When both truth and relationship are present, children are most open to accepting, understanding, and pursuing faith. As you reflect on the Deuteronomy scripture, I challenge you to take inventory of your family calendar. Are there additional opportunities to demonstrate through word and action the importance of your relationship with the Lord to your children? While we are blessed to partner with you in providing a biblical worldview education, we know you are your children’s most effective teacher and that your relationships with them carry on long past the K-12 school years. Our desire is to support you in your efforts by partnering with you to reach the common goal of leading your children into a deeper walk with the Lord. Please do not hesitate to let us know how we can best partner with your family as you prepare your children for a challenging world.