The Big Top- Week 2

These commands that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children.Deuteronomy 6:6-7

The Big Top. Our lives are busy, sometimes chaotic and even may resemble the likes of a circus. However, in the midst, it is imperative we take time to slow down, re prioritize and rediscover one of our most privileged and vital tasks- leading the next generation to Jesus Christ. Last week, we discovered the importance of growing in intimacy with Jesus ourselves. If we do not nurture a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, we cannot expect our children, our nephews, our nieces or anyone watching us to want Him. We must walk the talk.

The task before us can seem huge. And it is. However, God has given us a very wonderful and practical word on how to do this. Deuteronomy 6 says, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates. We are to teach God's Word and apply it to life and its situations. We are to seize the teachable moments! What does that mean? We can read bible stories before bed, have prayer/devotions before school, post theme verses of lessons on our walls, bathroom mirrors and even rear view mirrors, that we are trying to instill in our children (being kind, dealing with temptation, speaking words of encouragement, no grumbling or complaining). We can point out a sunrise and tell our children that the heavens are declaring the glory of God that exact moment (Ps. 19:1), that once again His compassions never fail but are new again for another day (Lamentations 3:23). Let us discuss with them the events of the day, people's choices and the natural consequences that followed. Let us pray for the school bully and watch together how God handles it. Dozens of life lessons are right in front of us.

I remember the evening our church gathered for prayer for a very ill young lady in our congregation. One by one, people prayed out loud praising and petitioning God. As my head was bowed, I heard a very familiar voice begin to pray. It was my 11 year old son. On the way home that evening, Micah told me, "Mom, I did not want to pray tonight. But I knew I had to. I had this burning in my heart and I just knew I had to pray." That night before bed, I called Micah over and we read from Luke 24. Two disciples were walking along the road to Emmaus after Jesus' death and resurrection, discussing all that had happened. Jesus Himself came along and walked with them, but they did not recognize Him. He talked with them about the scriptures and when arriving at their destination, broke bread with them. It was then that they recognized Him but He disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us, while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?" I looked at Micah and told him that the burning he felt in his heart was the Holy Spirit! And yes, He was asking Micah to pray. Teaching the Word and applying it. What a privilege.

Lord, help us to see the teachable moments and take the opportunity to share You and Your Word with those around us. Unleash your Holy Spirit on our "everyday". Amen.

Jocelyn Hamsher