Read- April 16, 2020
Scripture: Matthew 28:16-20
In Mark Batterson’s book Praying Circles Around Your Children, he writes:
The day I turned sixteen, I went to the DMV to get my license. I couldn’t wait. I’ll never forget the feeling of freedom as I sat behind the wheel for the first time. I can go anywhere I want, but then it dawned on me as I approached the end of our block, I don’t know how to get anywhere. Why did I suddenly not know where to drive? Because I had been in the back seat, not the driver's seat. I hadn’t been paying attention to where we were going or how we got there. I was just along for the ride. The same is true spiritually. Until kids get into the driver’s seat, they won’t know how to get anywhere. What do I mean? You can pray for them their entire lives, but if you never let them pray, they’re just along for the ride.
One of the greatest responsibilities of parenthood is praying for your kids, but an even greater responsibility is teaching your kids to pray. Praying for your kids is like taking them for a ride; praying with your kids is like teaching them to drive.” If all you ever do is pray for your kids, they’ll stay in the backseat. They will become spiritual codependents who ask you for a ride anytime they need to get somewhere spiritually. But, if you teach them to pray, they can download directions themselves and make their way to wherever it is that God wants them to go.
What is the first step you can take to teach your children/youth to pray on their own? Do you need an idea? Pray As You Go is a daily prayer session, designed to go with you wherever you go, to help you pray whenever you find time. A new prayer session is produced every day of the work week and one session for the weekend. Lasting between ten and thirteen minutes, it combines music, scripture, and some questions for reflection.
If the youth and/or young adults in your family have doubts about Jesus, think about how you can articulate why you are a disciple of Christ. Sitting parallel is a helpful posture for these kinds of conversations, perhaps even sitting shotgun while your child is in the driver's seat?
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