I was recently reminded of a prayer my son prayed when he was four years old. He prayed, “Thank you for the night, thank you for the moon and all the twinkling stars. Thank you for Mickey (his stuffed Mickey Mouse went everywhere with us!), and thank you that you’re here.” Today my son is 16 years old, so to be reminded of this simple prayer brings joy to my heart!
Memories like this make me reflect on how we talk about God in everyday conversations around our home. Here are a few ways we keep God in our everyday conversations:
1. Creation
Discussing the beauty of the sunrise as it begins to illuminate our morning is a wonderful way to begin our days. We point to Lamentations 3:23 and remember that God’s mercies are new every morning, and His faithfulness in unfailing. The sing-song voice of the birds in the backyard remind us that God provides for their needs, as well as ours (Matthew 6:25-34).
2. During Tough Times
If my son has a rough day, I try to seize the opportunity to point Him to Jesus. My husband and I remind him of God’s faithfulness to never leave him or abandon him (Deuteronomy 31:6). You can show your daughter in Scripture where God provided miraculously for the Israelites to cross the Red Sea on dry land to escape their captors (Exodus 14:21-31). He was faithful to provide for the needs of the Israelites and He will be faithful to provide what she needs (Psalm 36:5). Having the reminders of God’s provision in Scripture helps your child see their situation in a larger context. You can provide further comfort during rough times by sharing personal experiences of God’s protection and provision in your life (or reminders of his workings in your child’s life).
3. During Good Times!
When things are going well in our lives, we can be tempted to try and handle everything on our own. But showing your child where God is during the good times helps deepen their faith in a strong way. Counting your blessings together can be a unifying and fulfilling moment for your whole family. And it’s always interesting to hear what your child thinks is a blessing!
4. Scripture Memory
Memorizing Scripture is vital to children, indeed, to all of us!. Proverbs 22:6 tells us, “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.” My son memorized the Armor of God passage (Ephesians 6:10-18) when he was in second grade. Those verses meant one thing to him in second grade, but now they mean something deeper as he continues on his faith journey. Being able to memorize Scripture helps your child know that God is always with them (omni-present) and sees every moment of every days (omniscient).
5. Bible Reading and Prayer
Try to make reading the Bible and praying together as a family a top priority. I know this is challenging if you have never included it in your family time before, but there is nothing better we can do for our children than read and pray the word of God. Your child will find such comfort in hearing you pray over them. Being able to remind your child that we can pray just like Jesus did will help them see the importance of communing with their Savior (Luke 6:12). Through this habit, you are showing your child how to include God in his everyday moments, and you are giving him the tools he needs to grow in his walk with the Lord.
If you are struggling to find ways to talk about God in the everyday days, let me encourage you to to pray and seek God daily, and then see how your discussions more naturally flow from God’s word. And if you would like to read further on this topic, I suggest Everyday Faithfulness: The Beauty of Ordinary Perseverance in a Demanding World by Glenna Marshall (Crossway).
As always, let me know if you have questions, or comment below to keep the conversation going!
For more reading from Acceptable Worship, read Hymns on the Lips of our Children.
This post has been edited from when I originally posted it at councilroadwomen.og.
