Pausing again to study our foundational passage through the lens of Immanuel’s presence with
us in Deuteronomy 6:7-9, look for the times we are instructed to talk to our children and remind
them of God and His commands while we stay at home.
“Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and
when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them
to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of
your house and on your gates.”
Talk about God’s commands when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. God is
with us as we are thinking through all that happened as we lay our heads on our pillows at the
end of the day. What a perfect time to tell Him about frustrations, feelings, and concerns. We
can hand them off like a baton, trusting Him to handle things as we rest. We can train our
children to do the same.
My mama taught me to pray through the alphabet when I had a hard time sleeping and I
passed that skill along to my children. As they list people’s names, favorite creatures, or
attributes of God, He is listening. God is with them as they drift to sleep.
Different mornings come with different levels of adrenaline around our house lately. Some
mornings are “Thank you, God, for restful sleep and no rush” mornings as everyone rolls out of
the bed toward the breakfast table. These days we prepare for a day of online school, warm
tea, and work getting done at our own pace after finishing warm breakfast and discussing what
we read in the Bible before rolling out of bed.
Some mornings are “Thank you, God, for this big strong kid” mornings as I roll my child out of
bed and direct him toward the bathroom with his eyes still closed. These days we grab
breakfast-to-go, backpacks, coats, and masks as we head out the door for prayer for classmates
and teachers on the road to school.
I am looking forward to “Thank You, God, for this time together at home” mornings as I sneak
to the kitchen to make pancakes before everyone gets up to play games and watch movies
together. I love to remind my children of God’s love for them through my love for them and His
Word hung throughout our home.
No matter the kind of morning or evening, Immanuel (God is with us) in homes or cars and we
are to remind our children of that peace-creating truth whenever we get the chance.
Pray for God to give you opportunities to remind your children of God’s presence and love in new ways in your home this Christmas season.