The Family’s Loving-God Lifestyle

Deuteronomy 6:7 (ESV)

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.

God always wanted a close, loving relationship with his people. In Deuteronomy 6, verse 5, He tells us to love Him with all our heart, soul, and strength. When he speaks to us, He wants us to keep his precious words in our hearts (verse 6).

But, when we scan Deuteronomy 6, we see how we’re not to merely love him. God emphasizes that we are to diligently teach our children and grandchildren to love him, too:  

• Verse 2 says to fear the Lord and keep his commandments–you and your son and your son’s son.
• Verse 7 says to impress his words on our children by talking about them when we’re sitting at home, out and about, going to bed, and waking up.
• Verses 8-9 admonishes us to make his words so prominent in our heart, mind, and environment that we are reminded of them whether we are leaving the doors of our home or the gates of our city.
• Verse 12 warns us not to forget the Lord while enjoying the life God has given us.
• Verses 20-23 explain that children will ask their parents at some point why they follow the Lord. Parents should be ready to answer with their testimony of God’s salvation and a reminder that blessing comes from obedience.

Throughout Scripture, we find examples of parents who loved and served God but had a more challenging time raising their children to do so. And how are we doing today as parents? Are our homes a breeding ground for hearts that love God and meditate on his words? Do we find ourselves capable of maintaining and modeling this Deuteronomy 6 kind of lifestyle?

With the busyness of life, the influences of culture, and the lack of good models, parenting today is certainly not a walk in the park! But, our devotion to Jesus and our heart turned toward our children will always be part of God’s glorious plan.

RockAware is here to help!  We want to make the Deuteronomy 6 mandate a little less daunting for the Christian family today. We are pulling together the strengths and the gifts within the Body of Christ among members living out the mandate and doing it well. We are creating community and supporting one another as we all take this journey together.  We are gathering and highlighting the resources that are already available to God’s people. And we are excited to develop the materials that are lacking in the areas we know are essential.

Let’s rediscover the lost art of molding our children in the home and reclaim this generation for the Lord.  Join with us!