The Future of the World is at Stake! No pressure.

Maybe that title is a slight over-exaggeration. Chances are, if you're a parent, this has hit you at some point in your journey. You're sitting there playing with your child, they're doing every little thing you do, and it hits you..."WHAT IF I MESS THIS KID UP?!?!?!?!"

I know you've been there. It's scary isn't it? Then at some point after High School you turn them loose to the world...and you hold your breath, and hope for the best. We put so much pressure on ourselves in the raising of our children and rightfully so. It is by far one of the most important responsibilities you have.

We read Proverbs 22:6,

Train a child in the way he should go.
When he is old, he will not turn away from it.

Our response is "Well that's not true...just look around!" We try, and sometimes it doesn't "take." Family is hard. Family is messy. Sometimes very messy. Family is the best!

Our children have minds of their own and sometimes they will make theirs differently than us. That's their God-given choice, as hard as it may be. The question we are left with is "How Do I honor God with my family?" Living in the Shadow of the Cross, knowing Christ's power over life, death, and everything in between, how then should I raise my family?

One of my jobs here at C.C.C. is to walk alongside families and serve as a resource to encourage you to do what you're already equipped to do, parent. One of the things I hear most often is "I don't know what I'm supposed to do, say, or...you fill in the blank." No one is a professional parent. There is no professional Christian. You have been given all you need. My mind is drawn to Deuteronomy 6, where Moses writes to the people of God,

These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord , the God of your ancestors, promised you. Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:1-9)

God gave us everything we need in His Word. We are told to be careful to obey these commands. This isn't just another book; within its pages are the very breath of life. How do I honor God with my family?

1. Love the Lord your God with all your heart. It starts with you. I know you love God, but your child's love for God will rarely surpass your own. Love Him with all your heart, soul, and strength. We aren't called to wishy-washy Christianity. We are called to the kind of all-out, holding-nothing-back love that no one can deny.
2. Talk about them. Deep faith is not gained by osmosis. We spend so much time talking about improving their swing, jump shot, performances and, often, little to no time talking about strengthening their faith. We are to talk about them at home, in the car, bedtime, and breakfast. These are the most teachable moments we have as parents and so often we forfeit them for time in front of the television.**
3. Write them on the doorframes of your houses. Devout Jews took this literally. My question is "If I walked into your empty house could I tell that Christians lived there?" Things that we decorate our houses with can be passive teachers. Artwork, scriptures, books, etc. all say something about what is important to us.

Parenting is tough. The pressure is like nothing else. Pause. Take a breath. You have what it takes.

becoming rooted,

Rodney

**If you're looking for some resources to make your mealtimes, travel times, and bedtimes more focused, look no more! See Kari Jo or I. We have some amazing resources that have the potential to radically shape how you impress these things on your children.

This is the final installment of the "Living in the Shadow of the Cross" series on the blog. These have been themed as a follow-up to Joe's sermons. If you'd like to see other recent posts from this series, click here.