Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. – Ephesians 6:4
I am feeling a lot of pressure now that Alora is getting old enough that she can understand things about God. I was able to procrastinate teaching her about the Lord because she wasn’t “wouldn’t understand” but now…
She has her first book of Bible stories that she loves. Every night it seems like she asks me to read the Bible to her, so she is making it easy on me in some ways. I just hope I can do it right. I didn’t grow up going to church or in a particularly religious household so I am not sure exactly how it is supposed to be done.
We pray before we eat but how, with her limited vocabulary do I show her how to really pray from the heart and not just repeat the same thing every time. “Thank you God for our food in Jesus’ mame amen” (yes she says in Jesus’ mame) Or is that fine for now?
One thing I do know is that when I explain to my daughters that God is Father, I want it to make perfect sense to them based on our relationship. Many people in this world were not blessed, as I was with a good father and so their view of God as father is skewed. I don’t want to soil the name Abba (Daddy) for my girls. I want them to say “Oh, that means he loves me, he protects me, he guides me, he corrects me.”
How do I teach them about God’s grace and the gospel of his Son?
Have you ever thought that God trusts you much more than he should?
One response to “Being an Abba”
I think that every single day, and almost every moment of the day!
Way back when Gavin was still little, I asked a couple of “mom friends” for advice, because the responsibility was feeling very heavy. They all said in one way or another…If you care this much, and are this concerned about getting it right, you’re 99% there. Your kid is out of the gate with a huge advantage in life.
You teach them by living it…you’re already doing that.
With some common sense exceptions, I think sometimes that the only thing holding back our kids understanding of the world and the things in it is our expectation of their capability. The ideas of a triune God, creationism, Jesus’ death and resurrection, the free gift of salvation, these are just as much facts of my children’s life as the ideas of gravity or the seasons.
Keep in mind that Alora learned to speak by repeating the words you and Heather spoke to her. Now, she can hold a conversation with you, probably surprising you on a daily basis by her little insights into her world. It’s the same thing with her prayer. Right now she is learning the concept of prayer. She is repeating the words you speak but before you know it she’ll be blowing you away with her intimacy with God. It happens faster than you think it will.
Keep up the good work, your girls are lucky to have you!