How to Help Your Kids Have a Close Relationship with Jesus
Chief reminds us the best way to help our kids have a close relationship with the Lord is to have a close relationship with Him ourselves. Easier said than done, but each step toward that relationship counts!
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. – Mark 1:35
My wife and I recently went through some old keepsake items we had boxed away in the attic. We found my old baseball glove, my lost staff medallion and a ton of notes and letters we exchanged in our dating and engaged years. We were 7 hours apart so there was a lot of writing. (Parents, you might need to insert what a hand-written letter actually is right here!)
We loved going back and reading how we felt about each other even before we started dating. The biggest thing you would notice by reading them is how much we thought about each other, wrote each other, talked to each other and tried to spend time with each other. In a word, we were devoted to each other (and still are).
What if we are just as devoted to God?
What if our children learn wholehearted devotion from us? Here are few things we might try to do just that.
- You be devoted: More than anything we say, our children will learn from what we do. Paul said, “Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ.” (1 Cor 11:1). If intimacy with Jesus is not something you desire, then it may mean intimacy is something you have never experienced. And that’s okay. You can start the journey of knowing Jesus more together today. There is no shame in not knowing everything or not being much further down the road than our kids. Release any pride and commit to knowing Him more – together.
- Memorize truth together: Committing the words our Savior spoke to memory is a great way to foster intimacy with Jesus. Our family recently found a great family resource we are doing together in which we learn and memorize 24 Family Ways and accompanying Scripture. Each way is basically a Biblical truth about how our family is going to live. Try that or anything that will help you and your kids know truth and hide it in your heart.
- Pray daily: Prayer might seem awkward. Can we just say that? By the way others talk about it, I assume I am the only one who is terrible at prayer. Not true. Even if it is awkward, it is also essential. We cannot become intimate with Jesus without prayer. So just embrace the awkwardness and drop the idea that you are good or bad at prayer and just pray. It’s conversation with our Savior. Pray together with your kids, have them pray and let them see you pray as you pursue Jesus yourself.
There is no shortcut to having a close relationship. It takes time. Don’t worry that you aren’t “there” yet, just enjoy the journey of getting to know the most talented, most interesting and extraordinary Person in the universe. (Thanks Lego movie).
Camper Corner:
- Warning: The answer to this question might be hard to hear. Camper, how do you see your parent(s) developing a relationship with Jesus?
- When is a consistent time of the day you can commit to reading a Bible verse (or more) and pray to God?
